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16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign 2011

2011 Campaign Theme:
"From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World:
Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence"

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is a United Nations campaign. It takes place annually from the 25th November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to the 10th December (International Human Rights Day).

16days_logo.jpgThe 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation.

Since 1999 the South African Government has run a parallel campaign that includes issues relating to violence against children. This campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children as well as society as a whole.

16days_stop_the_violence.jpgEach year since 1991, tens of thousands of activists from every region of the world have taken part in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign. The campaign’s central messages – women’s rights are human rights and violence against women constitutes a violation of human rights – have been a rallying call of the women’s movement. Recognizing that violence against women affects people from every country, race, class, culture, and religion, the 16 Days Campaign provides an opportunity for activists to work together in solidarity and draw upon this period of heightened international attention to gain support for their local efforts.

The five sub-themes for 2011 are:

  • Bringing together women, peace, and human rights movements to challenge militarism
  • Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence
  • Sexual violence in and after conflict
  • Political violence against women, including Pre/During/Post-election violence
  • Sexual and gender based violence committed by the police and armed forces

 

We CAN End Violence Against Women and Children!