Violence against women is an issue that cannot wait. A brief look at the statistics makes it clear. At least one out of every three women is likely to be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime.

Through the practice of prenatal sex selection, countless others are denied the right even to exist. No country, no culture, no woman young or old is immune to this scourge. Far too often, the crimes go unpunished, the perpetrators walk free.

War has always been devastating, but now, women and girls are themselves targets in the war zone. Today's weapons of armed conflict include rape, sexual violence, and the abduction of children conscripted as soldiers or forced into sexual slavery.

On my visits to conflict-torn areas around the world, I have spoken with women who have endured horrific forms of violence. I will forever be haunted by their suffering-but equally, I will always be inspired by their courage.

The global campaign to end violence against women is for them. It is a campaign for the women and girls who have the right to live free of violence, today and in the future. It is a campaign to stop the untold cost that violence against women inflicts on all humankind.

We know that gender inequality is hampering progress towards the Millennium Development Goals-our common vision to build a better world in the 21st century. We know that violence against women compounds the enormous social and economic toll on families, communities, even whole nations.

And we know that when we work to eradicate violence against women, we empower our greatest resource for development: mothers raising children; law-makers in parliament; chief executives, negotiators, teachers; doctors, policewomen, peacekeepers and more.

And so my campaign to end violence against women will continue until 2015 to coincide with the target date for the Millennium Development Goals.

We have solid policy frameworks and initiatives to build on. Just last December, the General Assembly adopted a historic resolution on rape and sexual violence. And the landmark resolution 1325 on women, peace and security adopted by the Security Council seven years ago raised the issue to the level it deserves.

Today, I call again on the Security Council to establish a mechanism dedicated to monitoring violence against women and girls, under the framework of resolution 1325.

Mr Ban Ki-moon is UN Secretat-General.