Human Rights Articles

By Karen Castellon (FAWCO co-UN Liaison, FAUSA, AWC Berlin, AWAquitane), Mary Adams (AWC The Hague, Human Rights co-chair), Marelie Manders (Heidelberg IWC and Human Rights co-chair), and Laurie Richardson (AWA Vienna)

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence was launched in 1991 by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. The Center is now part of Rutgers’ Institute for Women’s Leadership Consortium. 

The United Nations supports the 16 Days campaign, and the 2024 theme of its UNiTE campaign is “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls.” In 2025, the global community marks the 30th anniversary review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Reviews are underway to report on progress over the past 30 years in the 12 areas of concern. FAWCO representatives served as convenors for several review areas for NGO CSW Geneva’s Beijing +30 review of the UNECE region with Civil Society. Here’s the thing: the killing of women and girls is on the rise. This is happening in every country and region of the world. This killing of women, femicide, must stop.   

One Woman: The UN Women Song, co-written by Beth Blatt (AAWE) and her colleagues Graham Lyle and Fahan Hassan, is beautiful and inspiring. Share this with your club, your friends. How many songs fit Kigali, Hanoi, Natal and Ramallah, LaHore, La Paz and Kampala in the first two sentences? 

How was November 25 chosen as the first day of 16 Days?

Women’s rights activists lobbied the United Nations to commemorate November 25 as a day against gender-based violence. On this date in 1960, three of the Mirabal sisters were murdered in the Dominican Republic by order of dictator Rafael Trujillo. The story of these brave women is captured in the historical fiction novel, In the Time of Butterflies (Julia Alvarez, 1994).

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in 1993 with a declaration on the elimination of violence against women. Then on February 7, 2000, the UN voted to officially designate November 25 as the International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. As such, the UN welcomes the partnership of governments and civil society such as international organizations and non-governmental organizations to support this issue and raise public awareness every year on this date.

The FAWCO Human Rights Team is pleased to share this in-depth array of resources to mark the 16 Days as an individual or with your club.  You could choose an activity each day or pick one day. Tell a friend and take action in some way.  

2024 Calendar: November 25 to December 10, 2024

(See below for details on each individual day.)

November 25 – Orange the World and Listen & Be Moved

November 25 is designated as an "orange day" by the UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign. The color orange was chosen by the United Nations to symbolize a brighter future, free of violence and therefore serves as the color of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. You can simply change your background to orange, or do a search on “Orange the World” or use the resources at the UN Women toolkit for Orange the World with social media resources here.

As you kick off the 16 Days Campaign, take a listen to the beautiful ​​anthem for UN Women, “One Woman,” created by FAWCO member, Beth Blatt (AAWE Paris). 25 singers and musicians from around the world collaborated to produce this musical sensation. Listen and be moved.

November 26 – Learn more: Gender Equality at the UN

Find out more about gender equality at the United Nations from UN Women at the 79th UN General Assembly and the Generation Equality Accountability Report for 2024.

November 27 – Help a Friend: Share the NoMore.org Global Directory

Share the NO MORE Global Directory, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive directory of domestic violence and sexual assault resources in every UN-recognized country and territory in the world.

Watch a video of Melissa Morbeck of the NoMore Foundation discussing the importance of this directory at the FAWCO Human Rights in Focus conference.

November 28 – Learn more: Host a Book Club or Movie Night

Choose a book about gender and gender equality and host a Book Club. On page 44 of the Safe and Equal 16 Days Toolkit, you can find a list of book suggestions or access the New York Public Library’s suggested reading list here.

Why not have a film night and watch a film relating to Gender-Based Violence? Suggestions are here. 

November 29 – Measure Progress: Beijing Platform for Action +30

FAWCO members have taken part in a project to raise awareness on the achievements and challenges of UNECE Member States to implement the Beijing Platform for Action. NGO CSW Geneva has posted our statements, recommendations, and videos on the 12 critical areas as part of this review for the 30th anniversary in 2025.

November 30 – Do more: Recognize the Signs of Unhealthy vs. Healthy Relationships 

One Love Foundation promotes recognizing the signs of unhealthy versus healthy relationships and shifting to healthy behaviors. Help people around you understand that it is important to not ignore these signs, as they can escalate to abuse. FAWCO sponsored a One Love workshop led by youth at the United Nations CSW68 in March 2024.

Learn to spot the signs of abuse and how to start a conversation on page 46 of the Safe and Equal Toolkit.

December 1 – Take Action: Support Survivors

The National Domestic Violence Hotline has an activist page. You can write to US representatives to express your views and support survivors. Or get ideas to implement in your country of residence- ideas can cross borders.

December 2 – Take a Quiz: Sistah Space & Your Gender-Based Violence IQ

Sistah Space, the UK’s first specialist refuge for black women affected by abuse, is one of eight NGOs featured on the Global Citizen website. Learn more about gender-based violence and quiz yourself.

December 3 – Color the Days: Illustration Toolkit

Explore the use of art in communicating your ideas with this free illustration toolkit. These works are licensed under a Creative Commons license that allows free use and adaptation – but you must always give credit, and never use them for commercial purposes. Here are all the options.

December 4 – Do more: Use a Toolkit to Support Women

There are powerful resources available on-line to make it easier for you to find your voice using pre-defined and pre-developed tools.

• “Plan your Power” toolkit for women’s rights advocacy planning
• Safe and Equal 16 Days toolkit 
• Create change by downloading the Global Citizen app. It contains a series of challenges with some women’s rights activists so that each day you’ll have a simple task like signing a petition, watching a video, listening to a podcast, and more.

December 5 – The Viral Texas Break-Up Song

Now for something completely different.  This gal became a viral sensation with her break-up song. The Instagram comments are a big “you can do this” support group with one dis-invitation for the ex-boyfriend: “Don’t come to Germany.”  

Another approach is to listen to Beth Hollimon, a featured guest speaker at the FAWCO Human Rights in Focus, with the topic "Advocacy: How to create real change" for women and girls (31min). Real change happens with your sharing views with your political representatives and most importantly, getting to know the staff at their office.  

December 6 – Speak More: Talk about Consent

Freely given, enthusiastic consent is mandatory, every time in relationships. Have you seen the Tea Consent video? Or read some push-back about the Tea Consent video? Click here for resources on having these conversations.

December 7 – Learn More: Digital Safety for Women Online 

The digital dimension of gender-based violence has a serious impact on the lives of women and girls, including their safety, their physical and psychological health, livelihoods, family ties, dignity and reputation. For a youth perspective, watch this.

In addtion, this WomenTech Network forum post provides strategies to help women combat online harassment, including guidance on using privacy settings, documenting incidents, building support networks, and understanding legal protections. The post also emphasizes the importance of digital literacy, anonymous reporting tools, and mental health support as ways to create safer online spaces.

December 8 – Act More: Get involved in a Social Enterprise 

Social enterprises are businesses with a social or environmental purpose. Like any other business, they seek to make a profit and succeed commercially. But how they operate, who they employ, how they use their profits and where they work is transforming lives and communities around the world.

Through the FAWCO Foundation, development grants and fundraising galas, AWC Amsterdam and AWC The Hague have supported Not for Sale in the Netherlands, who operate restaurants in Amsterdam and The Hague. With an “Eat Well Do Good” concept, all profit goes to the rehabilitation and reintegration program for victims of human trafficking. Click here for other social enterprises where your money builds sustainable resilience.

December 9 – Share Information: Climate Change 

Climate Change is a serious aggravator for violence against women and girls. Why not read more about it and share this infographic with your clubs.

December 10 – Pick your Favorite Article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Join FAWCO on December 10 to wrap up the 16 Days campaign by posting on social media using the tags #standup4humanrights and #FAWCO with your favorite article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• Experience the Power: Read aloud the Declaration with friends, and club members in the languages of your  choice. 
• Create a pictorial/visual of your favorite article - a drawing, a photo of you and your family, a collage of pictures, children’s drawings; download the Articles here.
• Share these artworks online and at the FAWCO conference in March 2025
• Use the tag #standup4humanrights and #FAWCO on social media

The full playlist of FAWCO Human Rights in Focus videos are here. Or check out these specific titles:

• American Victims of Gender-Based Violence
• Targeting Demand in Human Trafficking (OSCE)
• Significance of Strangulation in GBV
• Realities of Child Marriage in the US
• Advocacy: How to Create Change for Women & Girls