WUNRN
THE FIRE BEHIND THE ORANGE: NOVEMBER 25TH
& 16 DAYS CAMPAIGN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
By Charlotte Bunch and Roxanna Carrillo
Today (Nov. 25) we
celebrate another milestone in the recognition of Violence Against Women as a
major global concern. The Empire State Building, the United Nations
Headquarters and Times Square in New York are lit up in orange for
International Day Against Violence Against Women - the beginning of the 16 Days
of Activism Campaign. This “orange your neighborhood” #OrangeUrHood
initiative from UN Women and the Secretary General’s UNite Campaign is used to “symbolize
a brighter future without violence.”
For us, the “orange”
comes from the fire ignited by the many women’s groups dedicated to combatting
violence against women around the world.
This UN initiative
must be kept closely linked to civil society, where work against violence
against women has its origins, and on whose efforts it still
depends. The 16 Days began in 1991 in many parts of the world
simultaneously, as an NGO led campaign to highlight violence against women as a
human rights issue. Since then, it has grown steadily and is owned by
many – women’s groups, NGOs, governments, and international organizations like
the UN. This is a good thing and the more allies the better. But
such work relies on the day-to-day commitment of women’s organizations everywhere.
Research has shown that the presence of a strong women’s movement is the most
important factor in changing policies around violence against women.
One look at
today’s New York Times is an ever present reminder of how much violence still
pervades women’s lives – from another report of fraternity rapes on US college
campuses, to the Turkish President’s statement that women shouldn’t be
considered equals, to the exclusion of women from peace efforts in Afghanistan,
to the UN report on the increase in trafficking of children, 70% of whom are
girls.
So today as we
celebrate added “illumination” of this issue, let us remember that this work
has never been more urgent. This increased attention to violence against
women must result in an upsurge of support for those who are doing the heavy
lifting to remove this scourge from our communities.
For more
information about the history and NGO coordination of the 16 Days Campaign and
women’s activities around the world this year, go to http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu/ #16Days