In Focus: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

UNiTE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls! 

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from 25 November to 10 December 2021, under the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign: “UNiTE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls!” 

To this day, there is no place, online or offline, where women and girls can be completely safe.  

1 in 3 women experience violence in their lifetime, and that number has not changed for decades. During crises, this number spikes as women and girls’ rights, freedom, bodies and dignity continue to be at risk due to the impacts of natural and human-made disasters.      

For decades, feminist movements around the world have made life-changing impacts on generations of women and girls, through transformational changes in cultural norms, in education, in attitudes, and in policies. Behind these powerful feminist movements are civil society and women’s rights organizations who have been working tirelessly for the human rights of women and girls, so that women and girls can be economically empowered, can pursue an education, can make their own decisions on their own bodies, and can look forward to a future without violence and discrimination.  

However, while leading innovative work and creating transformational changes, women’s rights organizations must also respond to the rising challenges that drive violence against women, which include natural disasters, wars and anti-feminist movements. Despite these rising challenges, feminist movements around the world are joining together, towards the common goal of preventing and ending violence against all women and girls, so that no woman or girl is left behind. To achieve that goal, we must trust these movements.  

These 16 Days of Activism, join the feminist movements, be part of the change. Be an activist to end violence against women and girls. 

Ways to get involved:

• Share knowledge and educate yourself on violence against women and girls and engage in conversations to highlight why we need to #TrustFeminists: learn about the different forms of violence against women and girls, understand the risks, backlash and challenges that civil society and women’s rights organizations face today as they work tirelessly to protect every woman’s right to live free from violence.  

• Amplify and share your own #StoryOfResistance to rally support and recognition of the lifechanging work and crucial role of women’s rights organizations and activists powering feminist movements worldwide.  

• Concretize your commitment to create change through the #UNTFeminist Journey by directly resourcing the lifeline work of women’s rights organizations tackling intersecting forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls: JOIN THE JOURNEY!

Women and girls are counting on us.  

So we count on you to #TrustFeminists, because our voices are louder when we work together.