From the 25th of November to the 10th of December, you may see your social media, the news you read, or the blogs you visit, explode with figures and statistics.
You’ll see stats like the following:
- 1 in 3 women globally have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner violence or both at least once in their life. That’s over 736 million women.
- In 2023 alone, the UN verified 3,688 reported cases of conflict-related sexual violence – a 50% increase since 2022.
- For every one verified case of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, 10 to 20 go undocumented and unaddressed.
- A woman was killed every 10 minutes in 2023. That’s over 52,000 women in a single year.
The numbers will be incomprehensible. Not because they’re so high, but because you’ll realise that there’s a person behind every single statistic.
This period marks 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, part of the United Nation’s UNiTE campaign to highlight that violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive breaches of human rights across the world.
There is no doubt that raising awareness about the struggles of women and girls is crucial for driving meaningful action. We need to know what we are fighting to change. But we also need to know that fighting is working.
We need to know that standing together against gender-based violence (GBV) makes a difference.
We need to know what we are fighting to change. But we also need to know that fighting is working.
GBV: a barrier to peace
Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by gender-based violence. It disrupts women’s economic empowerment, access to education, and health, among other things. This disruption limits their potential and perpetuates cycles of poverty, impacting not only them, but also their wider communities.
This is especially true in fragile contexts, where vulnerabilities are heightened, and risks of sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation and abuse are increased. Coupled with the breakdown of legal and social protections, as well as limited access to justice and support services, the perpetration of violence against women and girls has devastating and long-lasting consequences.
A vision for change: the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
This year’s theme for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign is “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls”.
In 1995, the declaration laid out a bold agenda for achieving gender equality and realising the rights of women and girls everywhere. It was adopted by 189 countries, and is still one of the most progressive international frameworks for women’s empowerment. As we speed towards its 30th anniversary, now is a critical moment for reflection and review.
The Beijing Declaration set out strategic objectives to eliminate violence against women, calling on governments, civil society and private sector actors to take integrated action to condemn, investigate and prevent GBV. It emphasises an integrated approach because it recognises the need for holistic and multidisciplinary action, without which change cannot happen.
© #FrontlineEndingFGM. Multi-disciplinary action, including governments, organisations and individuals, is needed to bring an end to GBV. *
What an end to GBV can bring
By creating safe environments for all, we lay the groundwork for women to exercise their rights more fully, recognising that this is an essential step in addressing the broader challenges they face. This in turn helps to build pathways that promote sustainable development and long-term peace for everyone.
This is because addressing and preventing violence is crucial for fostering social cohesion and stability, which are fundamental to peacebuilding efforts. When women are free from violence, they gain greater agency and control over their lives and feel safer and more respected.
This empowerment enables them to participate meaningfully in their community, and in decision-making and peacebuilding processes. The Women, Peace and Security Agenda (UNSCR 1325), recognises the essential role of women in peacebuilding, and mounting evidence shows that women’s participation in peace processes “leads to more durable and stable peace.”
An end to GBV can lay the groundwork for more sustainable development and a more durable, stable peace for everyone. *
Together for better: reasons to hope and take action
During these 16 Days of Activism, we at CTG want to emphasise that progress is not only possible, but that it is already happening. We want to raise awareness of the transformative action that is making a difference and share what is possible in the fight to end violence against women and girls.
During 16 Days of Activism, we want to emphasise that progress is not only possible, but that it is already happening.
Small steps in the right direction
While the fight is far from over and much work remains, by celebrating these achievements, we hope to inspire continued momentum and encourage everyone to keep pushing for change.
In the almost 30 years since the Beijing Declaration, these are some of the steps towards progress:
- Currently, there are 1,583 legislative measures across 193 countries to address violence against women.
- In 1993, women made up only 1% of military peacekeepers and 10% of police personnel. By 2023, women accounted for approximately 5% of military peacekeepers and 15% of police personnel.
- Approximately 75% of countries now include first-line healthcare support for GBV survivors in their policies.
- Recently, global donors, including the Generation Equality Forum, committed $40 billion toward gender equality, with $500 million earmarked specifically for GBV prevention by 2026.
© Spotlight Initiative. Funding, legislative action and greater representation of women in critical roles can make a monumental difference in the fight against gender-based violence. *
Ending violence starts with recognising that we all have a role to play.
Take your step
Today, most of the challenges set out in the Beijing Declaration still plague women and girls around the world. Progress has been made, but we have a long way to go.
Ending violence starts with recognising that we all have a role to play. Over the next 16 days, we will be sharing examples of transformative efforts to inspire further action. There are practical examples of what can be done at an individual, national and international level to address the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violation in the world.
Together, we can make a difference for better.
Learn more about the successes, the organisations, the individuals, and the progress they are making against gender-based violence.
- SHINING A LIGHT ON PROGRESS: THE FIGHT AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
- 4 CHANGEMAKERS FIGHTING AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
*These photos are for the purpose of illustration only. Persons featured in the photos are not necessarily survivors of GBV.