Do you know what one of the leading causes of death among women all around the globe is?

It’s not car crashes, or diabetes or even breast cancer.

It’s violence.

In fact, around the world, women aged 15-44 are more at risk of rape and domestic violence than cancer, car crashes, war and malaria.

Violence against women is one of the most widespread and persistent violations of human rights. At least one in three women will experience physical and/or sexual violence during her lifetime, usually at the hands of someone she knows.

It’s a problem that isn’t limited by geographical boundaries, class or age.

In Australia, nearly one woman a week is killed by her current or former partner. In India, where I’ve just returned from, the situation is even more grim – India is rated fourth globally in terms of frequency and severity of violence committed against women (only Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia are rated higher).

At Opportunity International Australia, our vision is for a world in which all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose. We are committed to empowerment. We are committed to transforming lives. And 94% of the people we work with directly are women.

All of these factors mean that we’ve decided it’s time to tackle gender-based violence.

I’ve just returned from a visit to India with our Community Services Director, Simon Lynch, where we spent time with Opportunity’s newest program partner, My Choices Foundation. We’re working with My Choices to reduce violence against women in India.

Together, our mission is to stop domestic violence by training and employing local women as PeaceMakers, who work within their communities to protect women and build safer, stronger families through free counselling, legal aid and rights education.

So far, more than 60 women have been trained as PeaceMakers. Most of these women come from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, which is rated highest in all of India in terms of domestic violence. These women have collectively helped more than 7,000 people – women and their families included – access counselling and support. Three-quarters of all cases have been resolved successfully.

In India, part of the challenge to stopping the violence is changing people’s attitudes. An incredible 54% of women and 51% of men in India think domestic violence is acceptable. That it’s just ‘what happens’ in the home.

So a major focus of our work with My Choices is on education and awareness-raising to change perceptions and help people see why violence is never okay. The PeaceMakers work with school children and community members to educate people on their right to a life without violence. This is complemented by a mass media awareness campaign – check out #Respect2Protect on social media to see how people are showing their commitment to end the violence.

As we wandered through some of Hyderabad’s oldest slums, visiting the counselling centres that are helping so many families, it was hard to imagine what might be going on behind some of those brightly painted doors.

Elca Grobler, My Choices Founder, calls it a “civil war raging in our homes, our streets and our communities – when one half of the population are literally beating up the other half”.

And yet, despite the extent of the problem, speaking with the PeaceMakers left me with a feeling of hope rather than despair. They are women who, against all odds, are working within their communities to spread a message of hope, collaboration, resolution and peace.

Some days, the global challenges we face – poverty, inequality, ignorance and greed – seem impossible to overcome.

But together, we can. One PeaceMaker at a time. One small business at a time. One person at a time.

Every day, your giving through Opportunity is contributing to that change. With compassion, generosity and love, we can transform lives together.

Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.

Arundhati Roy

Keep an eye on the website and blog to find out more about how you can train more PeaceMakers and end the violence in 2016.