Queen Camilla Hosts Reception for Queen Rania of Jordan and Crown Princess Mary
Royal Hashemite Court
Queen Camilla is uniting with other royals for an important cause.
On Monday, the Queen Consort, 75, hosted Queen Rania of Jordan and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at a reception at Clarence House. The visit came ahead of Queen Camilla's reception that will take place at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday in conjunction with the United Nations "16 Days of Activism" campaign.
According to the UN, the campaign calls for individuals and organizations worldwide to meet together and organize strategies to eliminate violence against women and girls. The campaign began on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until Dec. 10, Human Rights Day.
The Queen Consort has made supporting victims of rape, domestic violence and sexual abuse a priority in her public work, and she is expected to touch on that during the event.
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Her first solo engagement after becoming Queen Consort came on Oct. 13 during a visit to the maternity unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. Buckingham Palace said it is a "key hub" for women experiencing domestic abuse.
Earlier in June, she spoke out about the importance of fighting against gender-based violence at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda.
Chris Jackson/Getty Queen Camilla
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"The figures are shocking. Globally, nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime. In times of crisis, the numbers rise, as they have, dramatically, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Across the Commonwealth, calls to domestic violence helplines have increased by up to 500% over the past two years. Whether we are aware of it or not, we all know someone who has endured sexual or domestic abuse. We can, therefore, all be part of combatting these heinous acts," she said.
"In the strength of our unity, we, the women and men of the Commonwealth, stand with victims and survivors, who, despite the temptation to hide away in silence, speak up so that others know they aren't alone – whether in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific or the Caribbean and Americas," she added.
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"In so doing, we have the opportunity to end gender-based violence and those laws and practices that discriminate against women. And each one of us must take personal responsibility not to let this opportunity be lost," she said.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
