Noting that family violence is a global and pernicious problem, this report summarizes a symposium--sponsored by the Baha'i International Community's office for the Advancement of Women, in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women--on meeting the challenge of and raising public awareness about the scope and seriousness of family violence. Building on a diversity of cultures, professions, experiences, and perspectives, participants proposed that effective efforts to create violence-free families must be designed on the basis of including the whole family and active participation of all social sectors. The report elaborates the following conclusions, which emerged in consensus from the symposium: (1) family violence must be publicly acknowledged as a problem; (2) the social and economic costs of family violence are incalculable; (3) family violence is a human development issue; (4) family violence is a human rights issue; (5) a violent society produces violent families; (6) family violence must be addressed by the world community; (7) NGOs have a major role to play--and they are already playing it; (8) the media must eliminate stereotyped images of girls and women and portray them in egalitarian relationships with men; and (9) educational systems need to redesign curricula, texts, sports programmes and other activities to promote gender equality. Several selected recommendations are listed which were proposed at the workshop discussions from the perspectives of research, education/training, services, and international and national legislation. (AP)