It’s Still Day One: A Call to Action Against Gender-Based Violence

by Molly Brown and Kathy Lyon, AWC Berlin Members

Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic, and serious obstacle to sustainable development. It imposes large-scale costs on families, communities, and economies. The world cannot afford to pay this price.
—Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General

On November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership kicks off its 2020 Global 16 Days Campaign to end gender-based violence (GBV). The campaign runs until Human Rights Day on December 10, and its timing symbolically links women’s rights to human rights, emphasizing the fact that gender-based violence (GBV) is a violation of human rights. At the same time, the UN launches its 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which also seeks to raise awareness and prompt action against GBV.

This year, taking action is crucial because one of the effects of the lockdowns instituted to slow the spread of the coronavirus has been to intensify GBV. Driven by social isolation, restricted movement, and worsening fears over health and financial security, a “Shadow Pandemic” has emerged, resulting in reduced availability of the services needed by those suffering from GBV, including shelters and hotlines, just as domestic violence is on the rise.

AWC Berlin is participating in these campaigns with daily calls to action against GBV on our blog and social media pages. Each day we’ll post stories that highlight GBV-related issues, along with the changemakers and organizations fighting against it. Stories will cover themes ranging from domestic violence to human trafficking to female genital mutilation. Each daily post will invite you to participate by taking one action each day of the campaign.

Call to Action

• Share this post on your social media.
• Comment on this post: Let us know which action you’re taking today and tell us about your engagement with anti-GBV work and about your hopes and dreams for a word without GBV.
• Educate yourself by following links in the daily posts from this series.
• Donate to global and local organizations fighting to end GBV.
• Join or volunteer with local and global organizations aiding survivors of GBV.