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16 Days to End Violence Against Women and Girls

The 16 Days of Action against Gender-based Violence against Women and Girls have been celebrated every year since 1991 between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November and Human Rights Day on 10 December. This year, the Campaign is continuing the 2021 30th anniversary theme of Ending Femicide by spotlighting certain groups of women who are more vulnerable. 

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WILPF International Secretariat
25 November 2022

The 16 Days of Action against Gender-Based Violence against Women and Girls have been celebrated every year since 1991 between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November and Human Rights Day on 10 December. It was launched by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) and feminists from around the world and has been used worldwide to call for the elimination of gender-based violence (GBV). 

In 2022, the Campaign is continuing its multi-year theme of Ending Femicide by spotlighting certain groups of women who are more vulnerable. Femicide is the most extreme and lethal form of violence against women, and perpetrators often walk free. During the upcoming days, we are taking the opportunity to unite our voices and make the truth heard: Violence against women and girls is a violation of their human rights, and it is the most widespread violation in the world.  

Today, in the midst of COVID-19, the resurgence of global conflict, economic instability and the threat of climate change, we are aware that the rights of women and girls are increasingly at risk—as is the impunity of those who perpetrate violence against us.  

Each of our actions is proof that our strength is irrepressible, and that feminist mobilisation will not rest until all women and girls see that their rights are respected. That is why it is important that our commitment remains relentless and global.   

How to get involved?  

From amplifying the voices of survivors and activists to supporting women’s organisations and strengthening feminist movements, we call on everyone to get involved. United, we will protect women’s and girls’ rights.  

  • First, we invite you to log on to social media and focus your attention on the #16Days, #LetsEndFemicide and #OrangeTheWorld hashtags over the next couple of weeks. This will give you access to all the content created around the theme of ending violence against women and girls. Many activists and organisations are very active during this time, giving you the opportunity to discover a variety of voices and solutions which is crucial to solving such an important issue. 
  • If you do not already, follow WILPF on the social networks of your choice— find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube! We will share as much content as possible and do our best to activate our community: Together we are stronger!  
  • Finally, if you would like to be a part of the campaign, go to UN Women’s Trello board or the Global 16 Days Campaign Theme 2022 webpage where you will find all the resources you need to make your voice count, empower survivors and reduce and prevent violence against women and girls. 

A Global Call to Action 

Eliminating violence against women and girls starts with a commitment from each of us to educate, advocate, organise, and act. Get started today by joining the feminist peace movement. Start a WILPF Section, become a member, or donate to help advance the work of women around the world who are making progress toward a brighter future. 

Resources 

To learn more about this year’s theme, view the 2022 Femicide Action Guide and you may sign the petition to declare December 6 the International Day to End Femicide. You can find more information about the entire campaign on 16dayscampaign.org.  

Discover WILPF’s work on Gender-Based Violence through our resources below:   

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WILPF International Secretariat

WILPF International Secretariat, with offices in Geneva and New York, liaises with the International Board and the National Sections and Groups for the implementation of WILPF International Programme, resolutions and policies as adopted by the International Congress. Under the direction of the Secretary-General, the Secretariat also provides support in areas of advocacy, communications, and financial operations.

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Matt Mahmoudi

Matt Mahmoudi (he/him) is a lecturer, researcher, and organizer. He’s been leading the “Ban the Scan” campaign, Amnesty International’s research and advocacy efforts on banning facial recognition technologies and exposing their uses against racialized communities, from New York City to the occupied Palestinian territories.

Berit Aasen

Europe Alternate Regional Representative

Berit Aasen is a sociologist by training and has worked at the OsloMet Metropolitan University on Oslo. She has 40 years of experience in research and consultancy in development studies, including women, peace, and security, and in later years in asylum and refugee studies. Berit Aasen joined WILPF Norway five years ago. She is an alternate member of the National Board of WILPF Norway, and representing WILPF Norway in the UN Association of Norway, the Norwegian 1325 network and the Norwegian Women’s Lobby. Berit Aasen has been active in the WILPF European Liaison group and is committed to strengthening WILPF sections and membership both in Europe and relations across continents.

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

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Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.