Soroptimist International groups around the world are marking 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Violence by running events and raising awareness.
In Malaysia, 3 Soroptimist International members are walking nearly 1000kms in 17 days from Perlis to Sabah to highlight the issue. You can read the latest from their walk on their Facebook Page. Other "Walk the Talk" events are also taking place across the South West Pacific Region, including Australia, Mongolia and Fiji.
SI is posting daily campaign updates on Twitter (#16Days) and Facebook. We have also issued an official statement in advance of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57), which will take place in March 2013 and has eliminating violence against women as its primary theme. In the statement
- we ask why we are still having conversations and conferences about violence against women and girls without seeing any significant reduction in incidence or prevalence;
- we share what we have learnt from the "coal face" ie SI Groups working around the world;
- we assert that despite changes to laws, crimes and punishment, we have not made changes to society, relationships and the underlying factors which allow violence to happen;
- we call upon governments, civil society, and all members of society to truly listen and effect change, outlining key recommendations for how this can be done.
Read the full statement here and download the list of resources for SI groups to lobby their governments in advance of CSW57
The global campaign runs from International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) until Human Rights Day (10 December), emphasising that violence against women is a violation of human rights.
More information on 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence:
http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu/
http://www.unwomen.org/infocus/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-violence/