The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through International Human Rights Day on 10 December.
Led by civil society, the campaign is supported by the United Nations through the Secretary General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women initiative. This year, the UN marks the 16 Days under the theme “UNiTE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”.
South Africa holds the shameful distinction of being one of the most unsafe places in the world to be a woman. We have amongst the highest rates of intimate partner violence, and recently released data from Statistics SA show that rape and sexual violence have become hyperendemic.
Women and girls are being abused, assaulted and murdered in our country every day – at
the hands of men.
It has been said that the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.
The South Africa we Want is a country where all its citizens are able to lead their lives of dignity and freedom, and where the vulnerable and marginalised are protected by our constitution and our Law.
Get involved: from amplifying the voices of survivors and activists to supporting women’s organizations and strengthening feminist movements, we can all act to empower survivors, reduce and prevent violence against women and girls, and protect women’s rights.
Hope SA Foundation Safer women drive works with education and training in GBV, in communities and shelters. We encourage you to attend our self defense workshops and get involved in fundraisers for our Safer women kits. Our plan is to open a Hope shelter for women and children in 2013.
