16 Days Campaign Against Gender Violence 2013

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Amnesty International

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/violence-against-women/16-days

16 DAYS CAMPAIGN AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE 2013

From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women

16 Days Campaign: 25 November - 10 December 2013

A REFUGEE WOMAN PERFORMS DAILY TASKS AT ZA’ATRI CAMP IN JORDAN – Photo: Amnesty International

The 16 Days campaign is an opportunity to show international solidarity in the fight to end violence against women. This year's theme--From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World--highlights the link between militarism and gender violence, as well as the role of women as peacemakers in their own homes and nations. Amnesty International joins with the 16 Days Campaign and with organizations and people all over the world to promote women's rights to peace and freedom from violence. Join with us these 16 days to stand against gender violence and help us end violence against women!

You can make a difference!
Learn more about each of the featured countries below featured for the 16 Days to find out more about women's human rights and gender violence and how you can take action to fight for women's human rights around the globe.

Click on each of the following linked issue briefs below to stand with women in each country in the struggle to against militarism and to end gender violence!

For more information about these issues, or how you can get involved as a women's human rights defender, please visit us at aiusa.org/women or email Amnesty International USA's Women's Human Rights Coordination Group at WHR@aiusa.org. You can also sign up to join our Women's Action Network to receive women's rights updates and action opportunities.

What is Gender-based violence?
Gender-based violence is violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman, or is violence that affects women disproportionately. Both gender-based violence and violence against women are terms used to describe human rights violations committed against women that stem from gender inequality and the failure of governments and societies to recognize the human rights of women. Acts of gender-based violence can include domestic violence, sexual abuse, rape, sexual harassment, trafficking of women, forced prostitution, harmful social practices, and more.

What is Militarism?
Militarism is a process whereby military values, institutions and patterns of behavior have a dominant influence over society. It is an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests. Militarization often precedes conflict, almost always accompanies it, and can remain a part of its legacy. To read more about militarism in the context of gender-based violence, click here.

Gender-based violence inhibits or nullifies the enjoyment of a person's full human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the:

Right to life;
Right not to be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
Right to equal protection according to humanitarian norms in time of international or internal armed conflict;
Right to liberty and security of person;
Right to equal protection under the law;
Right to equality in the family;
Right to the highest standard attainable of physical and mental health

Those whose rights are violated are entitled to:

Access to justice
Right to reparations
Right to remedy

This year we seek to raise awareness about militarism and violence against women in six different contexts around the world. Through this landing page you can explore the global dimensions of gender violence and militarism, access current Amnesty research and campaigns on this issue, and take action for women's rights throughout the 16 days.

The 16 Days against gender violence campaign focuses on the following themes:

Sexual violence in and after conflict
Sexual and gender-based violence committed by state agents, particularly the military or police