CIVICUS

FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Civil society acting together against gender violence

Release Date: 21 November 2007

By Kumi Naidoo, CIVICUS Secretary-General

Dear e-CIVICUS Subscriber,

As we move towards the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence from 25 November (the International Day against Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day), I would like to reflect on the past and look towards the future. It was exactly 10 years ago that I was involved with the South African National Men’s March against Violence on Women and Children that sought to raise awareness and build a movement of men against violence. During the march, Nelson Mandela challenged men to look internally to end violence. It saddens me to say that 10 years later violence still remains and in many countries is more prevalent. Now more than ever the 16 Days of Activism are important for taking concrete steps to end violence and I would like to send a personal plea to all male subscribers of e-CIVICUS to recognise that we are either part of the problem or part of the solution. In this week’s column, I have asked my colleague Marianne Buenaventura, CIVICUS’ Membership Manager, to reflect on the importance of linking violence against women and human rights and to emphasise the importance of the forthcoming 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.

In solidarity,

Kumi Naidoo.

16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence
By Marianne Buenaventura, CIVICUS Membership Manager

As we approach the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, it is worth reflecting how the 16 Days came about and how civil society celebrates this important time globally.

The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL), a CIVICUS Member based in the U.S.A. explains that the 16 Days originated from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by CWG L in 1991. Participants chose the dates, 25 November, International Day against Violence against Women and 10 December, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasise that such violence is a violation of human rights. This 16 Days period highlights a range of significant international awareness days that fall within the 16 Days of Activism including: 29 November, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day; 1 December, World AIDS Day; and 5 December, International Volunteer Day.

CIVICUS would like to acknowledge the excellent work by CIVICUS Members throughout the world to end gender violence, and to summarise some of their activities being coordinated internationally during the 16 Days campaign. CIVICUS is committed to promoting gender equity and the advancement of women, and appreciates the true dedication shown by its membership during the 16 Days of activism.

CIVICUS adopted a Gender Equality Policy in June 2006 to emphasise that an important role of CIVICUS is to encourage and amplify the collective voice of civil society, including those of marginalised groups like women and gender minorities. The Gender Equality Policy makes explicit the gender imperatives that are implicit within existing statements on CIVICUS’ mission and values.

Since the adoption of the Gender Equality Policy, CIVICUS has established a Gender Task Force comprised of both CIVICUS Staff and Board Members to provide support in mainstreaming gender across all CIVICUS programmes. CIVICUS is now pleased to launch a new section on gender on CIVICUS’ website which includes a vast list of gender resources, toolkits and websites. To view CIVICUS’ Gender Equality Policy and list of gender resources, please view: www.civicus.org/new/content/CIVICUSGenderEqualityPolicy.

One of the roles of CIVICUS, as defined in its Gender Equality Policy, is to focus as a coordinating and liaison unit in encouraging and magnifying the collective voice of women and gender minorities rising from our membership.

During the 16 Days, CIVICUS Members will be engaged in a diverse array of activities at international, regional, national and local levels. CWGL plays the main coordinating role in the delivery of the 16 Days. Each year an international consultation takes place to decide the theme for that year’s Campaign. A series of resource materials, advocacy tools and guides are prepared by CWG L to help enable activists and organisations globally to engage in dynamic advocacy during the 16 Days.

One World South Asia (OWSA) based in New Delhi, India, and working in the South Asia region will collaborate with Aakar in a joint UNDP, UNFPA and UNIFEM programme to work with boys and men from 7-10 December to prevent gender based violence. This includes an art exhibition, a film festival, and a literary evening to showcase works that spotlight gender relations, masculinities and violence. A policy panel will debate the need for a masculinities perspective in policy.

Exhibitions are a popular forum for raising awareness. In Nigeria, the League of Democratic Women will coordinate an exhibition from various CSOs depicting issues of violence against women (VAW). They will also share information on their website on the 16 days, highlighting different dimensions of gender violence in Nigeria and strategies that are being used in fighting against these different manifestations at the local, regional or international level.

In The Gambia, a march will be coordinated by Pro-Hope International (PHIN). PHIN will also organise 2 symposiums on “Confronting the Obstacles against the Eradication of Violence against Women - Whose Responsibility?” and “Ending Violence against Women in The Gambia - The Way Forward”. A special press release is planned on 1 December highlighting the continuing scourge of HIV/AIDS and how it relates to gender based violence (GBV) on World Aids Day.

Empower Children & Communities against Abuse (ECCA) based in Uganda also uses the media to raise awareness during the 16 Days. ECCA will organise a talk show on local and national radio stations on “Community Self Help: Unleashing Human Potential to Prevent Family Violence”. Other media activities include the dissemination of a documentary on ECCA’s work on national TV and the publication of articles in local newspapers.

On the artistic front, the Women and Girl Child Initiative Foundation (WOGCIF) based in Nigeria is coordinating a dance drama on International Day against Violence against Women which will depict the ugly trend associated with violence against women and this will be performed in the local dialect of indigenous communities. WOGCIF intends to coordinate another dance drama on World Aids Day by mostly young girls who have been affected and infected with HIV/AIDS to highlight the dangers of this infection.

According to the CWGL, the 16 Days campaign is in its 17^th year and serves as a protected space for activists, organisations and network s all across the world to advocate to end violence against women and to ensure this issue remains in the public eye and on the agenda of key decision makers. This article is dedicated to the 16 Days and to CIVICUS’ Members who, day in and day out, continue to support CIVICUS’ mission to strengthen civil society and citizen action, including the promotion of gender equality and women’s advancement.

To read more about CIVICUS Member organisations and their activities during the 16 Days, please visit: www.civicus.org/new/media/MemberActivitiesduring16DaysActivism.doc.

Warm regards,
Marianne Buenaventura

To send you comments, suggestions or contributions of articles, e-mail editor@civicus.org.

Below you will find all previous columns published.

• Civil society under siege in Pakistan

• Aid must be more effective...and more accountable too

• Participation will be the focus of the 8th CIVICUS World Assembly

• Islam: The New Fascism?

• Standing Up for the People of Burma

• Closing the gap between volunteering and social activism

• A poor climate makes for poor people

• It starts with you: become a volunteer GCAP organiser and Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty and Inequality

• Enforced disappearance threaten us all

• We must plug the leaks: Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness

• October 17: Stand up with millions united as one

• Should the voting age be reduced to sixteen? International Youth Day: a time for reflection

• CIVICUS partners continue to languish in jail

• If civil society organisations cannot change how governments can?