In 1991, a group of women activists came together at a meeting hosted by the Centre for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) in New Jersey and decided they were going to do something about gender-based violence.
The women didn't aim to just come up with theories, discussions and dialogues; they wanted to create something more action-oriented and wide-ranging—something that would really make a difference.
The result was the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, currently in full swing around the globe.
Starting on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov. 25) and ending on International Human Rights Day (Dec. 10), the 16 days campaign is utilized by thousands of activists in about 130 countries to further their work to end violence against women.
Over the years, the campaign has challenged policies and practices that allow women to be targeted for acts of violence, and has called for a commitment from governments to recognize all forms of violence against women as human rights abuses.
"The idea of the 16 days is to call on activists around the world to use the human rights framework as a platform of advocacy for ending violence against women and for holding decision-makers and states accountable," says Sadia Hameed, program coordinator with CWGL.
In Canada, a coalition of 35 British Columbia organizations called We Can is sponsoring workshops, forums, film nights, memorials and round table discussions in a variety of venues over the 16 days.
Miriam Palacios, program coordinator with Oxfam Canada, one of the groups in We Can, says the "culture of silence and denial" associated with gender-based violence helps sustain it. Abused women are afraid to speak out for fear of repercussions. In addition, they are often paralyzed by the shame associated with spousal abuse.
However, that silence was shattered earlier this year when women from the Lower Mainland's South Asian community spoke publicly about their experiences with family violence at a forum attended by more than 1,000 people in Surrey, B.C.
The forum was prompted by a string of violent episodes that left two women dead, allegedly murdered by their husbands, and another woman blinded after being shot in the face. Her husband then shot himself.
"One of the most incredible outcomes is that for the first time, as a consequence of those horrible killings, these women have started speaking about what they're experiencing and the turmoil they live with in the home," says Palacios.
1. Around the world, as many as 1 in every 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way, most often by someone she knows, including by her husband or another male family member.
2. Women are more susceptible to violence during times of emergency or crisis due to increased insecurity.
3. 1 in 5 women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
4. About 1 in 4 women are abused during pregnancy, which puts both mother and child at risk.
5. Laws that promote gender equality are often not applied.
6. At least 130 million women have been forced to undergo female genital mutilation/cutting.
7. "Honour" Killings take the lives of thousands of young women every year, mainly in Western Asia, North Africa and parts of South Asia.
8. At least 60 million girls who would otherwise be expected to be alive are 'missing' from various populations as a result of sex-selective abortions or neglect.
9. Over half a million women continue to die each year from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes.
10. More often than not, perpetrators of gender-based violence go unpunished.
11. Worldwide, women are twice as likely as men to be illiterate, limiting their ability to demand their rights and protection.
12. Violence against women represents a drain on the economically productive workforce.
13. Each year, an estimated 800,000 people are trafficked across borders, 80 per cent of them women and girls. Most of them end up trapped in the commercial sex trade.
14. Gender-based violence also serves – by intention or effect – to perpetuate male power and control. It is sustained by a culture of silence and denial of the seriousness of the health consequences of abuse.
Source: Oxfam Canada
Encompassed within the 16 days is Dec. 6, the date in 1989 on which Marc Lepine gunned down 14 women at l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. In 1991, the federal government declared Dec. 6 a National Day of Remembrance and Action for Violence Against Women, marking it in Canadian historical record.
It was after this tragedy that a small group of Ontario men decided it was important to provide men with an opportunity to speak out about violence against women. In 1991 they formed the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC), in which men who wore a white ribbon would signify their opposition to gender-based violence.
That first year, 100,000 men across Canada wore the white ribbon, while many more were drawn into debate on the issue. Since then WRC has spread to 55 countries, making it the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women.
"We feel that it is very important for men to have a chance to come to the forefront and to say 'I do not believe in violence against women, I will not commit violence against women and I will not stay silent about violence against women,'" says Humberto Carolo, WRC's director of programs.
As part of the 16 days campaign, WRC has a representative in Europe meeting with UN agencies to discuss men's role in ending violence against women. In Toronto, the group is working with the Toronto District School Board and elementary teachers in the city to educate boys about gender equality and healthy relationships.
"We recognize that young men are often socialized to believe in very rigid forms of masculinity," says Carolo. "One of our objectives is to present healthier views of masculinity and to help teach young men that being young men doesn't mean being violent or disrespectful."
Worldwide, violence against women continues to be one of the most pervasive and insidious human rights abuses. It crosses all boundaries of race, wealth and culture, and the vast majority of it is perpetrated by men.
In Canada, 51 per cent of women over the age of 16 will experience at least one act of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, according to Statistics Canada.
Raising awareness as a way to break the taboos associated with gender-based violence is a key part of the 16 days campaign, says Hameed, as is helping people to understand that violence against women isn't just limited to domestic violence or partner abuse.
"It's much broader than that—it covers psychological, emotional, mental abuse, and blackmail as well."
Unifem, the UN Development Fund for Women, says the "multiple manifestations" of gender-based violence include domestic violence, genital mutilation, human trafficking and systematic rape in conflict zones. The organization says statistics indicate that as many as one in three women will experience violence in her lifetime.
Unifem initiated a "Say NO To Violence Against Women" online petition campaign on Nov. 25, which can potentially snare millions of signatures that will be used to "send a strong message" to decision-makers that violence against women needs to be at the top of the global agenda.
The Internet campaign was launched by actor Nicole Kidman, UN goodwill ambassador, and will run until International Women's Day on March 8, 2008.
As widespread as gender-based violence is, progress is being made. As of 2006, 89 of the 192 UN member states have adopted legislation covering gender-based violence, and many more have put national action plans or strategies in place.
However implementation of these laws is often insufficient, so the ongoing grassroots efforts are vital if violence against women is ever to become a thing of the past.
Carolo says he's always inspired by stories from around the world of communities that come together to discover innovative ways to "spread the message" and involve men in making a stand against gender-based violence. There is hope, he says.
"Not all men commit violence against women, but we all have a responsibility in ending it."
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