Blog of Linda Witong, SI Advocacy Advisor

16 Days of Activism Campaign

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that runs from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, through to International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

Anyone and everyone is encouraged to get involved with the 16 Days campaign, making sure to heed the UN Secretary General’s call to ‘Orange the World’ – using the colour Orange to ensure campaign posts are easily associated with one another via a vibrant and recognizable theme, and drawing attention to the brighter, safer future which the colour symbolizes.

Soroptimists around the world have already been contributing to the campaign to ‘Orange the World’ across the 16 days in a variety of creative ways. In particular, using social media to amplify the voices of activists and survivors of Gender-Based Violence, as well as supporting the efforts of other women’s organisations, as we work collectively to drive policy change, prevent violence against women and girls, and protect women’s rights globally.

2022 Theme: Take action to Prevent Femicide Against Women

The origins of the present 2022 campaign to prevent femicide against women and girls began in 1989 in what was later described as the 1989 Montreal massacre. This massacre involved a man singling out and murdering 14 students for being female at the École Polytechnique at the Université of Montréal because the man had not been accepted to the university and blamed women for taking his seat. This violent act by one man illustrated to the world the gendered and misogynistic nature of violence against women and prompted individuals worldwide to mobilize in protest. Their protest was followed by the launch of new campaigns, such as the Global 16 Days Campaign which connected activists globally to become involved in this campaign to end femicide.

In 2021, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership marked the 30th anniversary of the Global 16 Days Campaign, with a special anniversary theme of Ending Femicide. The Campaign also released an Advocacy Guide to call attention to the rise in femicide worldwide, commitments made by governments to address femicide, and the alarming retrogression on gender equality at that time.

Unfortunately, in 2022 a great deal of work still needs to be done in order to prevent femicide worldwide. In order to meet this challenge, this year the 2022 Femicide Action Guide is issuing an action plan which, along with its allies, continues its advocacy to end femicide. In 2022, it is spotlighting the heightened vulnerabilities faced by certain populations of women and girls stemming from multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination because of factors including, but not limited to, their age, race, ethnicity, disability, employment, migrant status, and gender identity.

The 2022 Action Guide also provides interesting chapters describing how a global community, ranging from individuals, members of a community and activists to other key actors such as government officials, policymakers, employers, media, and academic institutions, can make a difference by doing their part to achieve the goal of preventing femicide.

For more information about the Global 16 Days Campaign Theme 2022: Take action to Prevent Femicide Against Women, read the 2022 Femicide Action Guide.