2006 Theme Announcement

16 DAYS of activism against gender violence
NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 10, 2006

Celebrate 16 Years of 16 Days: Advance Human Rights ‹—› End Violence Against Women

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.

Please see the 2006 Take Action kit for more details, including actions tailored especially for 16 Years of 16 Days! The kit will be available online and in print form in September – contact the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at the address below to request a kit.

Center for Women’s Global Leadership
160 Ryders Lane , Rutgers University , New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8555 USA; Phone (1-732) 932-8782; Fax: (1-732) 932-1180; E-mail: cwgl@igc.org; Or to access the kit online, go to: http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/home.html

Join the 16 Days movement!

Create or join a community, campus, national or international activity for the 16 Days. Request a Take Action kit, join the 16 Days listserv, and use past 16 Days International Calendars of Activities (available online) to spark ideas for your activities or to find information about groups in your area. Submit your planned projects to CWGL for posting to the 2006 International Calendar of Activities and become part of the global 16 Days movement.

Join the 16 Days electronic discussion!

Join the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence email listserv discussion, which assists activists to share work against violence, to build partnerships with others worldwide, and to develop strategies and themes for the annual 16 Days campaign. To join the discussion, visit: https://email.rutgers.edu/mailman/listinfo/16days_discussion.

Request a 2006 Take Action kit!

Contact CWGL to receive a free copy of the Take Action kit for the 16 Days campaign. The Take Action kit will be available in September and includes:

• suggested actions and materials for the 2006 campaign: 16 Years of 16 Days
• a campaign profile and information about dates
• a list of participating organizations and countries
• a bibliography and resource list

The contents of the Take Action kit will also be posted online.

Submit your materials! Help us build a 16 Days Archive!

CWGL requests that participants in the 16 Days campaign – past as well as present – send descriptions of your current or past 16 Days events to the contact information below for posting in the electronic International Calendar of Activities. CWGL would also be pleased to receive other materials, including posters, fliers, photographs, t-shirts, video footage, poems, songs, statements, and reports for the campaign archives. If you have photographs, documents, or other examples of your work that you can send in an electronic version, please do so and we will post it on the website.

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