The United Nations marks the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from November 25th to December 10th, 2021, on the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!
“Nearly one in three women have been abused in their lifetime, in times of crises, the numbers rise, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent humanitarian crises, conflicts and climate disasters.”
“A new report from UN Women, based on data from 13 countries since the pandemic, shows that two in three women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence and are more likely to face food insecurity,” a UN Women document made available to the Ghana News Agency in Tema has revealed.
According to the report, only one in 10 women said that victims would go to the police for help, while pervasive, gender-based violence is not inevitable. It can and must be prevented.
The report revealed that stopping violence starts with believing survivors, adopting comprehensive and inclusive approaches that tackle the root causes, transform harmful social norms, and empower women and girls.
“With survivor-centred essential services across policing, justice, health, and social sectors, and sufficient financing for the women’s rights agenda, we can end gender-based violence,” the UN Women report stated.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls, which runs every year from November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, Human Rights Day.
It was initiated in 1991 by the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute, held by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University.
Since 1991, more than 6,000 organizations from approximately 187 countries have participated in the campaign.
