‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence’

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.

This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. The 16 Days Campaign has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women.

You can participate in the campaign by:

• Blogging about any issues on gender based violence
• Wear a white ribbon and supply white ribbons to friends and colleagues
• Add the Logo to your website and stationary for the duration of the campaign
• Run workshops and awareness raising events for friends and colleagues, on violence against women
• Volunteer at a shelter, or service organisation, and create space and time for your friends and colleagues to volunteer too.