16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE

A Mothers’ Union presentation

What is 16 Days of Activism?

• Global campaign to raise awareness of violence against women and girls/ gender-based violence and develop strategies to address it.

• Started in 1991 at Rutgers University, USA.

• 25th November – 10th December each year.

What is gender-based violence?

• Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is any act of gender-based violence (GBV) that results in harm, suffering or indignity to women.

• Violence is 'gender-based' when it is directed against a woman because she is a woman, or when it affects women disproportionately.

• Whilst men are also affected by violence, including domestic abuse, 16 Days of Activism focuses on women to highlight persistent gender inequalities that perpetuate violence against women and girls.

Who does GBV affect?

www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/VAW_infographic.pdf

What are the

reasons for gender-based

violence?

What is Mothers’ Union doing to address gender-based violence?

• Prayer and fellowship

• Practical support

• Advocacy and campaigns

Ending gender-based violence

• Prevention

• Legal protections and enforcement

• Provision of services for victims and survivors

• Rehabilitation of perpetrators

What can I do?

• Pray• Raise awareness• Offer practical support• Campaign/ contact my political

representative