INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
By
Comrade Grace Oghenedoro, Organising Secretary (Legal/Gender)
THEME: UNITE TO END DIGITAL VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS
“No Excuse – Every Woman Deserves Safety, Dignity, Respect and to live without fear.”
On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, NUPENG stands in solidarity with every woman and girl who has been threatened, harassed, silenced, or harmed. This year’s call to “Unite to End Digital Violence” is one we take to heart.
From November 25th to December 10th, 2025, the global community comes together. This is more than a routine observance; it is an urgent response to a sobering reality. The truth is violence against women remains one of the most widespread and devastating human rights abuses in our world.
As a Union that represents workers in the Upstream, Midstream and Downstream sectors of the Oil and Gas Industry, we do not speak about this issue from a distance but as people who have listened to the quiet sobs behind doors, the whispered confessions from sisters and the tremble in the voices of women who do not know where to turn. We see the pain behind the smiles, the fear hidden in offices, rigs, flow stations, terminals, refineries, filling stations, and even online spaces. Violence against women is not “private” but a violation of dignity, safety, and workers’ rights.
Violence against women is not a statistic. It is a wound that many of us carry silently — in our workplaces, in our homes, in our communities, and now, increasingly, online. The world may talk about “one in three women,” but within our spaces, those numbers have names, faces, colleagues, and friends. And far too often, they have scars.
This day is not about lamentation alone. It is about action, strength and solidarity.
In our industry today, women still face harassment disguised as “jokes,” intimidation masked as “authority,” and exploitation passed off as “normal.” In their homes, too many of our sisters are enduring fear instead of love. And in digital spaces, young women navigate insults, threats, stalking, and the cruel misuse of technology that aims to shame and silence them. Violence has simply evolved and so must our resistance.
As a responsible and responsive Union, we say ENOUGH! We cannot fold our arms and wait. We must become a shield. We must become a voice. We must become a place where women feel safe to speak, safe to report and safe to breathe.
Today, we are calling on all of us — leaders, members, men, women, young workers, and elders to stand together and say: Enough! Enough of excusing abusive behaviours. Enough of blaming survivors. Enough of protecting perpetrators because of “position,” “power,” or “reputation.” Enough of silence because it gives violence room to grow.
