If you could make a real impact on changing how we think about violence against women in just over two weeks, would you do it?
There are 16 days spanning between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov. 25) and International Human Rights Day (Dec. 10). Since 1991, individuals and communities have designated these two days as bookends for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. And the movement is growing – the first year only 23 participants attended the Women’s Global Leadership launch. Now, more than 5,000 organizations in 187 countries have joined the campaign, working to raise awareness about gender-based violence.
Here at the Women’s Centre, we are celebrating our own 16 Days of Activism with a new action suggestion for every day. We will be recognizing the International Women Human Rights Defenders Day (Nov. 29), World AIDS Days (Dec. 1), and Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dec. 6) which commemorates the 1989 massacre of 14 women studying at École Polytechnique in Montreal. We will be sharing action ideas online and in the Centre on a Social Issues Board by our community kitchen. We will be engaging in conversations – check out our Facebook page for suggestions, let us know how you’re getting involved and send us pictures of activism in action.
Violence can impact women from all walks of life, at any time or stage of life, and has far reaching impacts on both individuals and communities. Violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, financial, or spiritual. If we work together, there is no limit to the ways in which our activism can make the changes we need.
Guess what. The action for Day One is Get Informed. You’re already done!