Therefore, as part of our ongoing human rights campaign, Attorney.org is highlighting The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, along with the groups and individuals involved, in the hopes of generating greater awareness for the organizations and individuals who have devoted themselves to bringing violence against women to the forefront of global attention.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence was deliberately chosen to begin on Nov 25, the International Day Against Violence Against Women and end on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day. The dates were selected in order to symbolically link violence against women to human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.
16 Days Campaign – Background
Each year since 1991, tens of thousands of activists from every region of the world have taken part in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign. The campaign’s central messages – women’s rights are human rights and violence against women constitutes a violation of human rights – have been a rallying call of the women’s movement. Recognizing that violence against women affects people from every country, race, class, culture, and religion, the 16 Days Campaign provides an opportunity for activists to work together in solidarity and draw upon this period of heightened international attention to gain support for their local efforts.
This year’s campaign theme is: Commit – Act – Demand: We CAN End Violence Against Women!
Commit: We are all responsible
While honoring and celebrating the achievements made towards ending VAW is a worthwhile festivity, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership @ Rutgers also encourages broad-based community participation by emphasizing that everyone has a role to play. We all have a responsibility to end gender-based violence together as women, girls, men, boys, and individuals of all generations, religions, occupations, sexual orientations, abilities, political persuasions, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Act: We can all make a difference
The anti-violence against women movement provides one of the best illustrations of how local activism can translate into global action. During the 2009 16 Days Campaign, CWGL encourages individuals, organizations, governments, etc. to take action on the commitments they have made to ending VAW. Each commitment — be it a personal pledge to speak out, a local or national law, an international convention or resolution –NOW is the time to act on these promises. Every action, no matter how big or small, can make a difference!
Demand: We are all accountable
At the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, women’s organizations from around the world met with government representatives and collaboratively produced the Beijing Platform for Action – one of the most forward-thinking government negotiated documents on women’s rights to date. 2010 marks the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Conference on Women. Therefore, we must all demand implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, as well as other key documents, and demand state accountability for ending impunity, allocating adequate resources, and implementing good laws and national action plans to address VAW.
Since its inception in 1991, The 16 Days Campaign has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world in the fight against violence against women by:
* Raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
* Strengthening local work around violence against women
* Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
* Providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies
* Demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women
* Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women
Attorney.org – Notable 16 Days Campaigns
Attorney.org contacted every organization in the United States that participated in the 16 Days Campaign since its inception and selected several to highlight using a formula that factored in not only the scope of the organization’s campaign, but factors involving the human element. For example, PAVE was selected because of how its founder, Angela Rose, used her personal experiences involving violence against women as the catalyst for creating her organization. Here they are:
PAVE – Paving the Way
PAVE uses art, education and action to shatter the silence of sexual violence. PAVE’s initiatives have been implemented in over 55 cities in the US and in 3 countries. Founded by Angela Rose, PAVE will celebrate their 10 year anniversary in 2010. PAVE has launched an international affiliate program as they continue to partner with other organizations in an effort to create a cohesive network.
The organization’s founder, Angela Rose, in response to her abduction and sexual assault, turned a community into a group of proactive citizens, and then spearheaded the movement that culminated with the passage of the 1998 Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act in Illinois. She founded PAVE (Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment) in 2001.
16 Days Programs:
Binding Project
The Binding Project is an international art empowerment campaign where participants write a word of empowerment on plastic zip tie bracelets. PAVE is currently collecting thousands of binding bracelets to be included in an installation art piece. These zip ties are what was used to bind the hands of PAVE Founder Angela Rose behind her back when she was abducted from a shopping mall parking lot.
Join Team Ten
Shatter the silence of sexual violence by hosting a TEAM TEN Listening Party with your friends, family and/or colleagues. Critically acclaimed poet, Steven Connell, created ground-breaking poetry, and we will provide links for the exclusive recordings to play during your listening party. Connell is one of the most prophetic and talented poets of this generation and has been seen on HBO, MTV, ABC World news, Good Morning America, MSNBC’s Hardball, and many others. Steve performed a poem for PAVE at a gala in Los Angeles that was life changing for many people.
Removing the Mask Campaign
This is an interactive art project where people decorate masks as an invitation for us to realize the individual MASKs that we hide behind each day. Project creator, PAVE’s Jaime Gill, believes that the MASKs that we wear are our Mistakes, Assumptions, Scars, and Knowledge of our true selves; and because we don’t feel that we will be accepted by our friends, families, and/or society. Removing the Mask is a thought provoking and engaging exercise that will cause vulnerability and encourage forgiveness, empowerment, and healing!
Consent Coaster Campaign
PAVE created a Consent Coaster Campaign. These coasters were distributed to bars in an effort to raise awareness on date rape and alcohol. Moreover, they work to educate that consent is defined as a freely given YES, not the absence of a NO.
Transition to Survivor Documentary
PAVE released a powerful documentary titled Transition to Survivor that features sexual assault survivors who tell emotional stories about their personal experiences, from reporting the crime to dealing with the aftermath of the violence.
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Art for Awareness
Combining artists, musicians, advocates and poets, these events can bring a sense of community and empowerment when shattering the silence of sexual violence. From a coffee shop in Sarasota to a Brooklyn mural project, PAVE features creative events to engage people in dialogue on the issue of violence and provides an artistic voice to survivors as a means of healing.
AED – SATELLIFE
AED-SATELLIFE is a leader in responding to the information needs of health care providers in the developing world. Their international focus on countries that are out of connectivity, which also tend to be the places where violence against women is most rampant or even accepted, and SATELLIFE’s work towards improving technology in those regions, thus promoting the free flow of educational information, were major factors in their selection.
AED-SATELLIFE, formally known as SATELLIFE, was created in 1987 to bridge the digital and information divides. They are now part of the Academy for Education Development – a leader in international development, which expands SATELLIFE’s own reach toward this goal. They have a rich history of firsts – the first non-profit to own and use a low earth orbit satellite – the first e-mail in Africa – the first online health-focused discussion lists. Today, thry continue to fulfill their mission to play a leadership role in responding to the needs of health care providers in the developing world, employing cutting-edge solutions to expand access to health and medical knowledge, putting information into the hands that heal.
16 Days Programs:
AED-SATELLIFE weekly e-newsletters are sent out to health care providers in developing coutnries higlighting relevant and current health information. As part of the 16 Days Campaign, AED-SATELLIFE will be running at least one special edition newsletter as well as articles that will provide tips to avoid gender based violence.
The Advocates for Human Rights
The Advocates for Human Rights helps individuals fully realize their human rights in the United States and around the world. For over 25 years, The Advocates’ innovative programming has touched the lives of refugees and immigrants, women, ethnic and religious minorities, children, and other marginalized communities whose rights are at risk. The Advocates strengthens accountability mechanisms, raises awareness, and fosters tolerance. Adapting traditional human rights methodologies to conduct cutting-edge research, The Advocates has produced 75 reports documenting human rights practices in 25 countries.
16 Days Projects:
Legal Reform on Violence against Women in the Republic of Georgia: Recent Successes and Challenges
In October, 2009, Advocates staff members Robin Phillips, Executive Director, Cheryl A. Thomas, Director of the Women’s Human Rights Program, and Beatríz Menanteau, Staff Attorney, provided training to lawyers and advocates on representing and assisting domestic violence victims under the new law. The training in Tbilisi, Georgia, focused on effective advocacy for domestic violence victims; legal representation of domestic violence victims in protective order proceedings in court; shelter management; and assisting victims in service programs. This presentation will highlight the challenges and successes to date of implementing the new law, with an additional focus on the issue of lethality and risk assessments.
Women’s Human Rights Film Series, Film Screening of “Frontrunner”
As part of the 16 Days Campaign, The Advocates for Human Rights will present “Frontrunner” to an audience at The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. A discussion about the film and combating violence against women will follow the screening.
“Frontrunner” tells the heroic story of Massouda Jalal, a medical doctor and mother of three who defied the Taliban regime and ran for President of Afghanistan.
The discussion after the film will be hosted by Cheryl Thomas, Director of the Women’s Human Rights Program at The Advocates.
Film Screening: “Pray the Devil Back to Hell”
As part of the 16 Days Campaign, The Advocates for Human Rights will present “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” at Mondale Hall, University of Minnesota Law School, Room 25. The filmw ill be followed by a panel discussion about the film and combating violence against women.
The award winning film Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country.
Global Fund For Women
The Global Fund for Women is an international network of women and men committed to a world of equality and social justice. They advocate for and defend women’s human rights by making grants to support women’s groups around the world.
The Global Fund makes grants to seed, strengthen and link women’s rights groups based outside the United States working to address human rights issues that include:
* Ending Gender-Based Violence and Building Peace
* Ensuring Economic and Environmental Justice
* Advancing Health and Sexual and Reproductive Rights
* Expanding Civic and Political Participation
* Increasing Access to Education
* Fostering Social Change Philanthropy
16 Days Projects:
Special Grantee Program
In solidarity with women around the world who are carrying out activities to call attention to the need to end violence against women, the Global Fund for Women (www.globalfundforwomen.org) is launching a special series.
The Fund will highlight the work of five grantee partners that approach violence against women from a human rights perspective, and show how the eradication of such violence is critical to achieving genuine peace and security. To highlight the ways in which violence affects us all, The Fund has created a 4 minute video with comments from their staff. Over the next 16 days, watch for stories of these groups striving to reverse the trend of violence.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is a global network of first responders, humanitarian relief workers, healthcare providers, educators, community leaders, activists, and volunteers. Working together, they provide access to safety, sanctuary, and sustainable change for millions of people whose lives have been shattered by violence and oppression.
Founded in 1933, the IRC is a global leader in emergency relief, rehabilitation, protection of human rights, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression.
51% of women surveyed felt unsafe in their relationship with their husband, according to a 2003 study by the International Rescue Committee.
16 Days Projects:
Panel Discussion
The IRC will mark the start of 16 Days with a panel discussion on Tuesday, November 25 at 1 PM at its New York headquarters highlighting how the IRC is working to help realize the human rights of women and girls in Thailand.
Parades, Marches, Celebrations and Competition
Will be held in IRC country programs in Liberia, South Sudan and Uganda. In Burundi, an opening ceremony and march will be followed by a football match. In Liberia, football and kickball tournaments will be held along with drawing, essay, singing and drama competitions.
Film Screenings
1. “Child Brides: Stolen Lives” (New York)
2. “The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo” (London)
3. A film screening and discussion on HIV/AIDS and gender based violence (Kampala, Uganda and Moroto, Liberia).
4. Brown bag discussions will be held on topics such as “Women and girls rebuilding nations in West Africa” (New York).
5. Roundtables will be focused on issues such as “What the U.S. can do to address violence against women in crises” (Washington, D.C.) and the role of donors in GBV activities (Brussels).
Other:
The IRC’s New York headquarters will also feature a photo exhibit for Human Rights Day on December 10.
Family Violence Prevention Fund
The Family Violence Prevention Fund works to prevent violence within the home, and in the community, to help those whose lives are devastated by violence because everyone has the right to live free of violence.
For more than two decades, the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) has worked to end violence against women and children around the world. Instrumental in developing the landmark Violence Against Women Act passed by Congress in 1994, the FVPF has continued to break new ground by reaching new audiences including men and youth, promoting leadership within communities to ensure that violence prevention efforts become self-sustaining, and transforming the way health care providers, police, judges, employers and others address violence.
16 Days Projects:
International Women’s Health Coalition
The IWHC are passionate and tenacious professionals who, together with their international Board of visionaries and leaders, work with hundreds of partners worldwide to secure every woman’s right to a just and healthy life. They are funded by private foundations, UN agencies, European governments, individuals and corporations. IWHC does not accept any funding from the U.S. government in order to maintain their independence.
16 Days Projects:
Take Back the Tech to End Gender Violence
Take Back the Tech is a collaborative campaign that takes place during the 16 Days of Activism, from November 25th through December 10th (International Human Rights Day). It is a call to everyone – especially women and girls – to take control of technology to end gender based violence.
As part of the 16 Days Campaign, the Fund will provide one ‘daily action’ that anyone can take up to end violence against women.
American Refugee Committee
The American Refugee Committee is an international nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that has provided humanitarian assistance and training to millions of beneficiaries over the last 30 years. ARC works with refugee communities in 7 countries around the world, helping people regain control of their lives. The people ARC serves have lost everything to events completely beyond their control. ARC provides shelter, clean water and sanitation, health care, skills training, microcredit education, protection and whatever support thry can to let people begin again.
16 Days Projects:
In the USA:
At their Headquarters office in Minneapolis, they are inviting the community to an Open House. The event will feature discussions on various topics, including violence against women in conflict-affected settings. They also plan to show several films on human rights issues affecting refugee women. They will also sell baskets made by refugee women in the refugee camps where they work around the world.
In Uganda:
The American Refugee Committee works with 250,000 Ugandans affected by war. They will host events in the various camps and locations where they work. They will host a football tournament and related activities in each of the sub-counties of Gulu and Amuru funded by UNFPA to raise awareness about violence against women.
In Rwanda:
The American Refugee Committee works in 3 refugee camps housing 50,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. During the 16 Days Campaign, their team will host films, drama presentations, traditional dance, sensitization meetings on gender-based violence with men’s/women’s/adolescent groups, and a debate conference with refugee youth (both boys and girls).
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) was founded in November 1991 to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the people of East Timor in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1960 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on Decolonization, and Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on East Timor. Their primary focus has been to change US foreign policy and raise public awareness to support justice and self-determination and now genuine independence for East Timor and human rights in Indonesia. In February 2001, ETAN revised its mission statement to reflect East Timor’s coming independence.
A just released survey of emergency room visits by the Timor-Leste Armed Violence Assessment (TLAVA) found that nearly “one-fifth of all women presenting at ERs in Dili and Baucau hospitals were recorded as victims of domestic violence; the proportion rose to one-third for women aged 20–39 years.”
16 Days Projects:
Working with various UN agencies – including UNMIT and UNIFEM – that are working in Timor-Leste with the Timor-Leste government and local women’s and other groups, ETAN will be participating this year in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. In a prelude, violence against women was highlighted on November 3, Timor-Leste’s National Women’s Day. Accoring to UNIFEM, “Vows to end violence against women were made by dignitaries and attendees alike.”
Postcard Campaign
A postcard campaign to raise awareness that domestic violence is a crime was launched. The cards say “Domestic Violence is now a public crime. Anyone can report it. You could go to jail.” Awareness of domestic violence has grown in Timor-Leste since independence. A new comprehensive criminal code, which made domestic violence a public crime, entered into force. Parliament, spurred by a campaign by women’s groups, is now considering comprehensive legislation on domestic violence.
Global Kids
Global Kids’ programs address the urgent need for young people to possess leadership skills and an understanding of complex global issues to succeed in the 21 st century workplace and participate in the democratic process.
Global Kids’ success is clear. By educating students about international affairs and their role in the policymaking process, GK has been able to motivate and inspire urban public school students, many of whom have been labeled at risk of school drop out, to succeed in school and become campus leaders. Annually, more than 90% of the seniors in GK’s leadership programs graduate from high school and the majority attend college with scholarships.
16 Days Projects:
Global Kids, the premier youth development organization, based in New York City, will engage Global Kids students in two activities that will raise awareness around Female Genital Mutilation. On December 7, Global Kids will host a special citywide event coordinated in collaboration with representatives of V-Day, at their Center for Global Leadership, Global Kids’ headquarters, to speak with about 30-40 Global Kids students about the work they have done on the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Students will learn about the economic and cultural implications for FGM and begin to identify ways that they can become involved by supporting work that is already taking place or developing their own social action campaigns.
There is also another activity being planned during the 16 Days of Activism by Global Kids’ youth leader, Gabriel Wahab, who is planning an event at his high school, the School for International Studies, to raise awareness around the issue of Female Genital Mutilation. The event will include a panel of guest speakers on the topic, a screening of a film/documentary, and a call to action to raise funds. It has the potential to reach about 500-1,000 students at the school. Gabriel is seeking to raise funds to support a center for girls who have escaped FGM and early marriage in the Kajiado region of Kenya. This summer Gabriel had the opportunity to travel to Kenya with four other Global Kids students and staff as part of Global Kid’s Human Rights International Project. While in Kenya, Gabriel and his peers met with the founder of the center and two young girls who live there; one was a victim of FGM and escaped before she was married off, the other had escaped both FGM and marriage.
MADRE
Over the past 26 years, MADRE has built a network of community-based women’s organizations worldwide. This network encompasses thousands of women and families – in Sudan, Iraq, Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, Kenya, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Palestine and elsewhere – who are on the frontlines of our global crisis. Yet, as part of the MADRE network, they know that change is not only possible – it is already happening.
16 Days Projects:
MADRE will mobilize their Afghan Women’s Survival Fund in support of a woman facing life-threatening gender-based violence. For more information about the Survival Fund, click here.
MADRE created the Afghan Women’s Survival Fund to enable women who are threatened with violence to escape to safety. The Fund supports an underground rescue network of women committed to providing shelter and secret transport to women who have been targeted because they dare to speak out for human rights.
Dwa Fanm
Dwa Fanm (meaning “Women’s Rights” in Creole) started as a volunteer-run community-based organization in 1999 when a group of eight Haitian and American women from diverse backgrounds met to discuss the state of women’s rights in Haitian immigrant communities in the United States and in Haiti. Having established itself as a human rights organization, Dwa Fanm’s mission is to empower all women and girls with the freedom to define and control their own lives. Through service, education, advocacy and grassroots programs, Dwa Fanm works to end discrimination, violence, and other forms of injustice in New York City and abroad.
16 Days Projects:
Program on the connections between domestic violence and HIV/AIDS in women’s lives.
There will also be an electronic discussion starting on Tuesday, November 24 continuing until Wednesday, November 25th. This discussion will allow activists, social workers, advocates, and others to learn more about how to address and end violence against women in the Haitian and other Black Caribbean communities.
Manushka Douglas, Dwa Fanm’s Director of Programs, will be available to answer questions from 11am-1pm on Nov. 25th.
If you are interested in joining the discussion, please contact 718-230-4027. Forum Link: dwafanmn16daysforum.lefora.com/ . See attached flyer for more information.
NOMAS
The National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) advocates a perspective that is pro-feminist, gay affirmative, anti-racist, dedicated to enhancing men’s lives, and committed to justice on a broad range of social issues including class, age, religion, and physical abilities.
16 Days Projects:
Click here for the NOMAS 16 days event list.
Survivors International
Survivors International is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing essential psychological and medical services to survivors of torture who have fled from around the world to the San Francisco Bay Area. SI aims to help survivors put the pieces back together by providing the support they need to re-establish healthy and productive lives after their experiences of torture.
16 Days Projects:
Press Conference and Activities
November 25 on the steps of San Francisco’s City Hall. Immediately following the conference is a healing ceremony for survivors of violence (1:00-3:00PM) with a multi-arts performance in the esplanade across the street, entitled “They Are All Our Daughters / Todas Son Nuestras Hijas!”
For more information about this event, see attached press release. Throughout the campaign, there will be numerous other events including Teach-Ins, healing ceremonies, film screenings, music, dance and poetry performances, and more. For full calendar of events, click here.
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