One in every two women in South Asia faces violence in their daily lives.

In this region, the cycle of discrimination and violence begins long before birth and continues throughout women's lives.

Violence against women is institutionalised at all levels – home, family, community, society and the State.

Social, cultural, political, economic and legal factors in the region combine to leave women vulnerable to community-sanctioned discrimination and violence.

It is intense and pervasive, both in the public and private spheres, because of the deep-seated social belief that women are fundamentally of less value than men, clearly reflected in the unequal gender norms and socio-economic power structures.
 
Unborn girls are killed through sex-selective abortions. Every sixth death of a female infant in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan is due to neglect and discrimination.

Many girls and women endure daily beatings, harassment for dowry, verbal abuse and acid attacks for refusing to comply with male demands.

Other women become targets of extreme forms of violence like incest, rape, public humiliation, trafficking, ‘honour’ killing and dowry deaths.

The incidence of domestic violence in this region is among the highest in the world and women are most vulnerable in homes, a place where they should be the safest.

All these practices seriously threaten women's lives, rights and ability to participate in all spheres of life.

As a result of such severe neglect and violence, there are 50 million fewer women in South Asia today than there should be.

In the largely prevailing ‘culture of silence and acceptance’, there is no recognition of violence against women as a grave human right’s violation. What is worrying is the rise of the crisis in scale and severity.