Support the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence with IWDA

Today marks the beginning of the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign.

This campaign runs from the 25th of November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until the 10th of December, International Human Rights Day. These dates are important in symbolically linking violence against women and human rights, and emphasising that violence against women is a fundamental violation of human rights.

In Australia, today is also White Ribbon Day, an opportunity for men to act as allies and take a stand against gender-based violence.

Each year the 16 Days campaign organises around a particular theme, and 2011 is the second year in a multi-year campaign on the intersections of militarism and violence against women. Last year an activist from Mozambique expressed her concern that there could not be “peace on earth while there is war in the home.” Her words are echoed in this year’s theme: From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women!

Militarism creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests. Militarism privileges certain violent forms of masculinity, which often has grave consequences for the safety and security of women. Almost three in every four young women at the Australian Defence Force Academy say they have experienced some form of sexual harassment at ADFA.^[1] Militarism influences how we see our neighbours, our families, our public life, and other people in the world.

Violence against women is a serious issue in our region, as it is the world over. Studies in a number of countries in the Pacific have shown that two out of three women have experienced physical and sexual violence. In Australia, one in three women has experienced physical violence since age 15 and almost one in five has experienced sexual violence.^[2] IWDA hopes you will be able to join us online over the next sixteen days, as we explore this theme and the various ways our partners in Asia and the Pacific are addressing gender-based violence in their communities.

During the 16 Days other significant dates are highlighted, including International Women Human Rights Defenders Day (November 28), the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (December 2) and, this year, the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development (December 4), among others. On each of the days of the campaign, we will highlight an achievement or viewpoint of someone in the IWDA community or a way that you can take action against gender-based violence. Follow us daily on Twitter, Facebook and on our website to find out how militarism impacts on gender-based violence and learn what you can do to raise awareness and advocate for a culture of peace.

The first way that you can take action, starting right now, is to spread the knowledge of this campaign on to your friends and family. Do one or all of the following:

• Go to Facebook and like IWDA’s page and the official 16 Days page created by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership.
• Email this article to your networks and suggest that they follow IWDA’s 16 Days campaign.
• Follow IWDA on Twitter to be alerted when each day’s article is posted.
• Visit the White Ribbon Day website to learn more about how men can act as allies in the campaign against gender-based violence.

Join IWDA for 16 Days, spread the word, and show your solidarity with women across the globe who have been affected by gender-based violence.

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[1] Sabra Lane ‘Report finds sexual harassment rife at ADFA‘ ABC News, Thursday 3 November 2011.
[2] Australian Agency for International Development ‘Australia helps end violence against women in the Pacific‘ 9 November 2011.

Tags: 16 Days of Activism

This entry was posted on Friday, November 25th, 2011 under 16_Days, Front page.