From 25 November to 10 December, communities around the world will come together for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This year’s UN Women campaign asks us to focus on three things: ensuring justice, protecting survivors, and ending impunity.
The scale of the issue is hard to ignore. Around one in three women will experience violence in their lifetime, yet many survivors never see justice. Funding cuts are also putting pressure on the women’s organizations that offer legal advice, practical help, and a way forward for those who have been harmed. The barriers are often even higher for women living in rural areas or facing several forms of discrimination at once.
Importance of 16 Days of Activism
This campaign reminds us that justice is not just about a courtroom outcome. It starts with being listened to, believed, and treated with respect. It means feeling safe enough to speak up, having access to support like legal aid, healthcare, and shelter, and knowing that the people and institutions that failed you will be held to account. It also means a system that respects survivors’ choices and doesn’t add to their pain. And it has to work for every woman, whatever her background or circumstances.
There are small ways to take part:
Wear orange as a sign of hope for a future free from violence
Support women’s organizations and survivor services
Start conversations that challenge victim-blaming
We’ll be exploring this further at our next community conversation, Telling the Story Right, on Friday 27 November.
