The Bishop of Worcester will be wearing a white ribbon this month to show his support for a campaign to end gender violence.
Dr John Inge is wearing the ribbon during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign, which was first initiated in Canada in 1991 at the Women's Global Leadership Institute.
The 16 days link in with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, and International Human Rights Day on December 10, and aims to emphasise the significance of the relationship between the two.
Gender-based violence is a huge global issue. A recent study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its associates estimates that between 23 per cent and 37 per cent of women across the regions of the world suffer violence at the hands of an intimate partner, and that 38 per cent of all murdered women are killed by their partner.
A report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states that 83 per cent of women in Kenya will be abused at least once in their lifetime.
The theme of this year's 16 Days campaign is "Let's challenge militarism and end violence against women", and the team behind it hope to raise awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at an international level.
In support of the campaign the Bishop will wear a white ribbon for 16 days.
He praised the movement for enabling men "to stand alongside the women who continue to suffer violence simply because of their gender" and comment that he is "proud to wear a white ribbon and make the personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women".
