2006 marks the 16th anniversary of the 16 Days of
Activism Against Gender Violence campaign! Since 1991, the 16 Days
campaign has worked to increase the visibility of violence against women as a
human rights violation. The campaign has been utilized by groups all over the
world to demand support services for survivors, enhance prevention efforts,
press for legal and judicial reform, and use international human rights
instruments to address violence against women as a human rights violation, a
public health crisis and a threat to human security and peace worldwide.
This year, the 16 Days campaign celebrates
activists who have made the campaign a success and honors women human rights
defenders who have suffered intimidation and violence for their activism and/or
have given their lives fighting for gender equality. (See information
on the website about November 29th which was declared in 2005 as the day to
recognize women’s human rights defenders.) This year commemorates progress on
addressing violence against women in our communities, nations, regions and
around the world and calls for reflection on how to continue to advance this
work.
While there has been progress in the struggle to end
violence against women, many challenges persist. This year’s campaign
seeks to revisit and strengthen the human rights focus of work on gender based
violence against women. It also hopes to look at the many obstacles women
face in our communities and nations that intersect with violence against women,
such as armed conflict, war, poverty, HIV/AIDS, globalization and other
challenges to human rights. As the United Nations undergoes internal reform, we
seek to ensure that women’s human rights concerns, including violence, are fully
integrated into all of the UN’s agendas. In October of 2006, the UN Secretary
General will release an in-depth study on all forms of violence against women.
The 16 Days campaign provides an opportunity to capitalize on the report and
pressure governments and the UN to make greater concrete commitments to
eradicating violence against women.
The 2006
theme reinforces an understanding that advancing human rights and ending
violence against women are mutually reinforcing: We encourage you to use
this year to share 16 Days successes and struggles with one another, and to
strategize collectively about ways to increase the effectiveness of the
campaign, especially its human rights focus.