Violence against women during war has become a global epidemic. Rape is often used as a weapon of war in conflicts worldwide, and women and girls frequently become victims of gang rape by soldiers.

In the early 1990s, between 20,000 and 50,000 women were raped in Bosnia, and during 100 days of conflict in Rwanda, approximately 250,00 - 500,000 women and girls were raped in the 1994 genocide. In a study earlier this year, The American Journal of Public Health estimated that nearly 48 women are raped every hour in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A five-part documentary series Women, War and Peace, recently aired on PBS, gives a voice to women who live in conflict zones and face brutal violence daily. The films look at war, often considered the domain of men, from the perspectives of the courageous women from Bosnia, Afghanistan, Colombia and Liberia, who campaigned for peace and an end to violence and rape in their countries.

On November 23, the United Nations Secretary-General, dignitaries and activists will gather at the UN Headquarters in New York for the official commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 15th Anniversary of the UN Trust Fund. This year, the event is focusing on youth engagement and leadership to end violence against women and girls.

If your organization is interested in empowering women and helping to end violence against women worldwide, you might be interested in the following grant opportunities:

• The United Nations Women's Fund for Gender Equality seeks proposals for innovative programs to help women achieve political and economic empowerment

• UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women supports local and national efforts to end violence against women and girls around the world

• Open Society Foundations invites proposals to benefit women and girls with disabilities in post-conflict countries

• Afghan Women's Empowerment Grants Program provides $5,000-$50,000 grants for Afghan-led projects that increase women’s participation in the political sphere.

• The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women funds 21 grant programs to end violence against women and provide aid and assistance to victims.

 If you are interested in applying for these or other grants, please visit our services page or contact us on how we can help.