Fiji, Nov. 27 -- Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey has issued a stark message to governments and communities worldwide, declaring that violence against women remains "one of humanity's oldest and least punished crimes" and warning that global backsliding is putting millions at greater risk.

In her statement marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Botchwey said the crisis is universal, persistent and deeply personal.

"It is committed in every region and in every community, often behind closed doors and often without consequences," she said. "It is personal - for all of us."

She pointed to the everyday fears that women and girls carry - fears so normalised that they often go unnoticed. ...