“Protecting women is a national duty and its responsibility falls on all of us,” said Mariam Ismail, Director of the Women’s Protection Center at the Department of Social Services, in her opening remarks on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is celebrated by the world on November 25 of each year. Ismail said, “We renew our commitment to protecting women with our partners in responsibility, by providing all kinds of material, moral, economic, legal and other support to abused women in the Emirate of Sharjah, through the Women’s Protection Center. Violence against women is not fate and cannot be ignored, but rather it requires a clear stance from all of us to change it.” She emphasized standing against all forms of violence and working to empower abused women and reintegrate them into society, based on our belief that women are half of society and that they are the ones who raise generations. If they are abused, weak, and powerless, then generations will not be able to face life's difficulties and problems. Combating violence begins with awareness of this issue and working in an integrated system with social and educational institutions to create a generation that understands their right to live in dignity and without injustice. The remarks by the Director of the Women's Protection Center came during an event organized at the House of Wisdom under the slogan "Empowering women begins with protecting them," which included several presentations and segments with the participation of the City University in Ajman and Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, and an audience of specialists in this sector. The center's services, as explained by the center's director, focus on protecting women who are subjected to various forms of abuse, including verbal, physical, economic, and witness protection. The center provides all services that ensure their protection, such as shelter, social, psychological, and legal consultations, and works to rehabilitate them for reintegration into society and to achieve a dignified and independent life for them, under the supervision of specialists and in accordance with best practices and standards in the Emirate of Sharjah. The vision it operates under is "From Protection to Empowerment," aiming for the Women's Protection Center to be a leading model in empowering women, ensuring their safety and dignity, and contributing to building a society free from all forms of violence and discrimination, where justice, equality, and equal opportunities prevail, and whose values ​​are justice, dignity, equality, and empowerment. The center also aims to raise women’s awareness of their rights, empower them to live independently and with dignity, eliminate all forms of violence against them, protect them, secure their rights, and provide developmental, rehabilitation, and therapeutic programs aimed at empowering abused women, spreading and promoting awareness of women’s issues, and increasing their opportunities for self-reliance through vocational rehabilitation programs and the social, professional, and psychological rehabilitation of women and girls victims of violence, and their integration into society. Dr. Nibal Khayal Al-Muallim from Ajman City University also gave a lecture entitled “Violence Against Women - Causes, Forms and Strategic Solutions”, and she began with an introduction to the reason for launching this resolution by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999, and considering November 25 of each year as a day to raise awareness of all forms of violence against women, including rape, domestic violence and any form of physical or psychological harm inflicted on women, as well as all forms of coercion, compulsion and surveillance, whether inside or outside the family. The reason for this is the murder that prompted the world to dedicate a day to eliminating violence against women, which is the assassination of the Mira Pal sisters, Patricia, Maria and Minerva, who were political activists in the Dominican Republic, on the orders of its ruler Rafael Trujillo in 1960, who are known as the flying butterflies because of their decision not to remain silent about injustice and to stand up to the dictator to leave life leaving the nectar of freedom for others, and they were thrown into the Caribbean Sea. Numbers and statistics. The color orange symbolizes the United Nations international campaign known as "End Violence against Women," which aims to raise awareness about combating violence against women and girls. It symbolizes a bright future for women and girls free from violence, and this campaign continues annually during the "Sixteen Days" from November 25, "International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women", to December 10, which coincides with "Human Rights Day". The lecturer noted that, according to United Nations statistics, one in three women worldwide is subjected to some form of physical or sexual violence, usually at the hands of their partner. Only 52 percent of women worldwide have the freedom to make decisions regarding sexual and reproductive health, and women represent 71 percent of human trafficking victims worldwide. In 2017, another statistic revealed that half of the women killed around the world are victims of their partner or a family member, compared to one in twenty men killed in similar circumstances. In the Arab world, 37 percent of women are subjected to one or more forms of violence in their lives, and 14 percent of Arab girls are married under the age of eighteen. The number of married girls worldwide is 700 million. The issue of violence against women is one of the most prominent social and moral challenges facing contemporary societies, as it affects human dignity and hinders sustainable development efforts. Despite international and regional efforts to reduce this phenomenon, women still face multiple forms of violence in various family and community contexts. Forms and causes of violence: The forms of violence against women are known as physical violence, which involves using force to cause harm, such as hitting or injuring; psychological violence, which includes threats, insults, and constant humiliation; sexual violence, which includes harassment, assault, and forced marriage; economic violence, which includes depriving women of work, inheritance, or resources; and cyber violence, which has recently emerged, which includes blackmail, surveillance, or defamation via the internet. Dr. Nibal pointed out that violence does not occur in isolation from the social context, but rather is the result of the interaction of cultural, economic and psychological factors, including: cultural, economic, legal and psychological reasons. Violence has consequences that extend from the individual to the entire society, and these consequences can be summarized as psychological, social, economic, and health effects. She emphasized the need for concerted efforts, explaining that confronting violence against women requires a combination of legal, educational, social, and religious efforts, through legislative and institutional solutions, by enacting clear laws that criminalize all forms of violence, establishing shelters and psychological support centers for women, and training security personnel on humane treatment. Educational and media solutions also lie in including the values ​​of respect in school curricula, organizing national awareness campaigns, and involving men in spreading a culture of respect. Economic and social solutions include empowering women economically by supporting small businesses and providing psychological and social support programs for victims. Religious and cultural solutions lie in spreading a moderate religious discourse that calls for affection and mercy, and correcting the misconceptions that are used to justify violence. The UAE protects women. The lecturer mentioned the deterrent legislation and laws enacted by the UAE to protect women from violence, such as the Federal Law on Protection from Domestic Violence, in addition to specialized services provided by government agencies and non-profit organizations, such as helplines, shelters, and community counseling. These services aim to provide psychological, social, and legal support to victims of violence, raise community awareness, and integrate the efforts of institutions to protect women, children, and the elderly. The legal framework and policies were defined by several laws, including the Domestic Violence Law, which aims to combat domestic violence, protect private rights, and correct harmful behaviors within the family, and the National Policy for Women’s Empowerment, which seeks to promote and empower the rights of women and girls, with a focus on prevention and awareness mechanisms and the development of legislation. In addition to this, the law stipulates penalties for those proven to have committed violence, ranging from fines to imprisonment, with the severity increasing according to the seriousness of the assault. She concluded her lecture by saying that violence against women is a humanitarian and social issue that requires political will, comprehensive institutional and societal cooperation, and building a violence-free society that begins with the family, school, and media. Protecting women is protecting the family and the entire nation, and when we respect women, we respect life itself.