International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women – 16 Days Activism by UN against Gender-Based Violence
International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women is observed today all over the world to bring an end to the violence against women and girls.
The theme of the day this year is, “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect”.
The day will focus on urgent actions to fund, respond, prevent and collect data to address gender-based violence against women in the context of COVID-19.
The UN System’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence activities, from 25 November to 10 December, will take place under UN’s 2020 global theme: “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”
Since the start of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic this year the major population of the world is forced to be locked down (stay inside homes) which has caused anxiety, depression, quarrels and a high level of violence among the families making women the major victims.
The UN Secretary-General’s report, “Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19” revealed that: “accompanying the crisis |corona virus pandemic | has been a spike in domestic violence reporting, at exactly the time that services, including rule of law, health and shelters, are being diverted to address the pandemic”.
Since the world is facing the second wave of even more dangerous corona virus pandemic the women and girls need special attention and care to be saved from the violence.
For this purpose this year’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence programme is devised by the UN with the title “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!” and action ideas, see this year’s concept note.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
In support of this civil society initiative, under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign (UNiTE campaign) calls for global actions to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and innovations.