UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called for global action to increase resources and spending to promote solutions to violence against women and girls.

"Violence against women and girls imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies," said Ban in a message on the day. "Violence against women also results in lost productivity for businesses, and drains resources from social services, the justice system and health-care agencies."

Ban said though there is growing global recognition that violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and serious obstacle to sustainable development, yet there is still much more to do to turn the awareness into meaningful response.

Therefore, he called on governments to increase national spending in all relevant areas, including in support of women's movements and civil society organizations. And he also encouraged the private sector and citizens to do their part in support of women and girls.

In 1999, the UN General Assembly designated Nov. 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to raise public awareness of the serious problem.