Marking the international day to eliminate violence against women, the European Union issued a statement calling for an end to the harassment, rape and murder suffered by women around the world.

The statement was jointly issued by EU foreign and security policy chief Federica Mogherini, EU Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova and Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.

One in three women have been exposed to physical or sexual violence, the statement said.

Outside the borders of EU member-states, the statement added, girls are banned from education and encounter forced marriages and sexual violence, which it described as a "widely used tactic of war."

The statement also tackled the problems that arise when women's rights groups and activists are threatened while defending women.

The statement asserts that fighting violence against women in all its forms both in the EU and outside the EU is a priority for the EU.

The European Commission and the EEAS (European External Action Service) have both adopted the "communication on eliminating female genital mutilation," said the statement.

Meanwhile, the EU is funding projects that eliminate the practice, while also providing support to FGM victims.

FGM is a crime in the EU, according to the European commission's website. Although the practice is often only associated with developing countries, hundreds of thousands of women in Europe have been exposed to it.

"We strongly condemn all forms of violence against women and girls. From today until Human Rights Day on 10 December, all EU delegations around the world will also join the call for action for the '16-days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence' international campaign of the UN secretary-general and will raise awareness on the issue," the statement said.