16 Ways to End Gender Violence
16 women’s groups across the African continent are adding their voices to this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, with financial help from WOMANKIND Worldwide. One organisation in South Africa is taking the controversial step of campaigning against rape by marching on illegal drinking dens in short skirts and revealing tops, highlighting the statistic that one woman is assaulted in South Africa every 23 seconds, and challenging the myth that men rape women because of what they are wearing.
16 Days of Activism is an international campaign against all forms of violence against women and girls. It started in 1991, and runs annually between November 25th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) and December 10th (Human Right’s Day). More than 1000 groups in 130 countries take part, and the international women’s rights charity WOMANKIND Worldwide is this year supporting events in Africa.
The 16 women’s groups - in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo - are employing a variety of ingenious methods to get their voices heard in their own communities. Their message is straightforward: that Violence Against Women, in all its forms, is unacceptable and must be stopped.
All the groups are planning a range of educational and public activities. These are just some of the other projects WOMANKIND is helping to fund:
- In Rwanda a “NO to rape and violence campaign” which is supported by marches, petitions and t-shirts.
- In Kenya, tackling the high level of sexual violence on public transport by handing out stickers against violence against women and girls to commuting motorists.
- In Tanzania, the Sahiba Sisters Foundation is broadcasting radio and television programmes discussing how religious and cultural traditions can affect the violence against women.
- In Morocco El Alamane Le Developpment de la Femme is taking information about how HIV and Aids disproportionately affects women’s health to sex workers, illiterate women and girls in high school.
- In D.R. of Congo a march is being held on December 6th to commemorate the deaths of 14 women shot dead in Montreal, Canada in 1989.
- In Nigeria, the Association of Safe Motherhood Promoters is setting up a men’s group to tackle violence against women.
- In Ghana hundreds of T-shirts and posters publicising 16 Days will be handed to the public. A conference is being held to examine how well the police, the justice system and the medical services are doing to support victims of violence.
- And in South Africa as well as marching on the illegal shebeens in the Manenberg district, hundreds of red and white balloons will be released on November 25th to celebrate international White Ribbon Day
For more information on the 16 Days of Activism programme contact WOMANKIND Worldwide 0207 549 5700 Ceri Hayes.
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