16 Ways to Mark 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence!
“Violence against women is not acceptable. It is not inevitable. It can be prevented.” — Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, U.N. Women
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign begins November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on December 10, Human Rights Day, highlighting the indelible fact that violence against girls and women is a human rights violation. This year’s campaign theme, From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All, highlights the “relationship between militarism and the right to education in situations of violent conflict, in relative peace, and [a] variety of education settings.”
Parallel to the 16 Days campaign, the United Nations’ UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, led by U.N. Women, encourages “orange events” like concerts, flash mobs, and marathons featuring the color to take place around the world. These events will “symbolize a brighter future without violence” and launch the first-ever U.N. Framework on Preventing Violence against Women.
The U.N. 16 Days campaign invites participants to “orange the world” to raise awareness around gender-based violence. Image by UN Women, Flickr Creative Commons
But we’ve done some of the work for you. Here is a day-by-day guide to raising awareness about gender-based violence during and after the campaign!
Day 1: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Share the Violence against Women infographic to increase awareness of gender-based violence (GBV) as a global pandemic.
Day 2:
Swap your Facebook profile picture.
To kick off the campaign, all Facebook users can change their profile pictures to the 16 Days campaign logo for the duration of the campaign. Help spread the word and bring awareness to GBV and the right to safe, accessible education by changing your profile picture and inviting your Facebook friends to change theirs!
Download the campaign logo and upload it as your profile picture.
Day 3: Download and share the AAUW Ending Campus Sexual Assault Tool Kit.
Use these resources to raise awareness about campus sexual assault so that everyone can help make campuses safe for all students.
Day 4: Check out the international 16 Days campaign calendar.
Get inspired by what’s happening in your local area and globally. Visit often since activities and events are updated daily!
Day 5: Follow @16DaysCampaign on Twitter and join the conversation!
Keep reading and tweeting the AAUW blog for information on how violence affects education for women and girls, and spread the word on our International Fellowships for women around the globe.
Happening today: United Nations Youth Takeover for Malala Day!
With more young people under the age of 25 than ever before, youth from around the world are standing up to demand their right to an education.
Here’s what AAUW Vice President of Fellowships, Grants, and Global Programs Gloria Blackwell had to say about it:
Today, AAUW stands with Malala Yousafzai on her 16th birthday in her fight for the 57 million children and 69 million youth around the world who do not have access to an education to create a safer, more peaceful, and economically prosperous for world for us all. Join Malala and AAUW in support of the first UN Youth Takeover, and urge world leaders to open the doors to education for youth, especially girls, worldwide!