16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence: Day Eleven

As reported by Burma Partnership below, IWDA partners Karen Women’s Organisation and Women’s League of Burma participated in a march and seminar focusing on ending violence against women, on 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

“On November 25, women from Burma and Thailand gathered in Chiang Mai to mark the 10th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, with a march and seminar on stopping violence against women and families. The Karen Women’s Organisation also held events to raise awareness about violence against women in IDP and refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border.  

Women in Burma experience discrimination, physical and sexual violence at work, in public places, and in their own homes. In recent years, many Burma groups have highlighted how sexual violence against women is being used systematically by the military as a weapon of war. The Women’s League of Burma (WLB), Burma Lawyers Council and other organisations around the world are advocating that such sexual violence, as well as forced displacement, extrajudicial killings, the use of child soldiers and torture, are all grounds according to which Senior General Than Shwe should be referred to the International Criminal Court to be tried for crimes against humanity.

In their statement this week, the WLB criticized the junta’s 2008 Constitution for providing impunity for military officials, encouraging them to continue perpetrating human rights violations and sexual violence against women, rather than protecting them. The women’s group declared their opposition to next year’s elections that will bring the junta’s Constitution into effect, and pave the way for further violence against the women and people of Burma.”

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16 Days of Activism is a global campaign encouraging organisations and individuals across the world to take a stand against gender-based violence.

The campaign starts on 25th November: The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on 10th December: World Human Rights Day.

16 Days of Activism was started by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership 18 years ago. The campaign’s beginning and end dates highlight that violence against women is a human rights violation.

Thousands of diverse groups and individuals now take part in 16 Days, together calling for an end to all types of violence against women. Each year people organise events in their communities, including meetings, conferences, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances.

This year at IWDA, we have decided to use the 16 Days to highlight the work our partners in Asia and the Pacific are doing to improve the situation for women and girls in their communities, as well as the work IWDA is undertaking in Australia. Each day between 25th November and 10th December, we will post a short article about 16 Days our website, Facebook page, and Twitter page.

Tags: 16 Days of Activism, Karen Womens Organisation, Thai Burma Border, Women's League of Burma

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 5th, 2009 under 16_Days.