International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed every year on November 25 to raise awareness about the violence on women and girls. It is a United Nations-designated day to create awareness of the different types of violence faced by women, promoting advocacy and women’s right, and fostering better opportunities for women.
It works as a catalyst to envision a future where the eradication of any kind of violence against women will not just be a destination but a reality. That’s why it holds utmost importance across the globe. The campaign marks speciality to identify current challenges and goals or aspirations to fight against the violence targetted at women.
We are living in a society where patriarchal norms still continues to dominate the girls and women. Women often remain unrecognised by the society still now and violence against women and girls is so widespread, persistent that it breaches human rights in our world today and remains unnoticed and unreported due to the impunity, silence, social stigma, stereotype, and shame coming from surrounding. Absolute developement, equality, peace would remain far beyond achievable until we respect the choice and human rights of girls and women.
According to United Nation’s report, some 736 million women, almost one in three, have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their lives, as per United Nations. Violence comes in many form such as physical, psychological, economic, gender-based violence. All these kinds of violence is growing across the world in alarming rate.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed urged for greater investment in preventing violence against women and girls which is considered as an issue that transcends all borders and cultures. ”Investment in prevention is to invest in our collective well-being. It means creating conditions where women and girls can thrive, unburdened by the fear of violence, ” she added.
The campaign addressing the prevention of violence against women runs annually for 16 days, commencing on November 25 and continuing till 10 Dec. The global theme of this year’s 16 Days of activism campaign against Gender-based Violence is named ”UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls” which stresses upon the need for funding to implement prevention strategies to proactively stop gender-based violence and also encourage worldwide participation.
The origins of this day can be rooted back to the tragic death of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic in 1960. Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa Mirabal— political activists who fiercely opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. They were brutally murdered in 1960. Their tragic assassination prompted the global feminist movement, activists, NGO’s and in 1999, the UN officially announced the day as international day for elimination of violence against women to honour them and commemorate their bravery. This the day bears immense significance to solidify the global eradication of violence against women.
Across the world, organisations, governments, and communities, activist grops joins to observe this day through a plentiful of activities such as putting up awareness campaigns, organising educational events, seminars, and art exhibitions to draw attention on the significance of the issue and inform and educate people about the strategies to prevent and address violence against women.
