For three decades, the Global 16 Days Campaign has brought about awareness of gender-based violence (GBV) and called for the elimination of GBV. The campaign runs annually from November 25 (International Day Against Violence Against Women) to December 10 (International Human Rights Day). Beginning in 2021, when celebrating 30 years of the campaign, a special multi-year anniversary theme of Ending Femicide was begun.
Femicide is the gender-related killing of women and girls. Vulnerable women and girls, understandably, face a heightened risk of femicide. The focus in 2022 is on those at higher risk – Indigenous and Black women – and those in higher risk situations – in the world of work and where unsafe abortions occur. As campaign materials explain, this year’s emphasis spotlights “the heightened vulnerabilities faced by certain populations of women and girls stemming from multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination because of factors including, but not limited to, their age, race, ethnicity, disability, employment, migrant status, and gender identity.”
An Action Guide has been prepared by the Global 16 Days Campaign that sets out multiple activities to engage in in order to end femicide. A Femicide Advocacy Guide was published in 2021 and remains an important tool for those engaging in advocacy to end femicide. The campaign has an active presence on Facebook.
Working to end femicide (#LetsEndFemicide) is consistent with many aspects of the mission and ministry carried out by Women of the ELCA, including the organization’s anti-racism focus and health initiative, Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls.
The ELCA has a social message on gender-based violence, adopted in 2015 by the ELCA Church Council. “>Find the social message and a study guide that accompanies it online. Using the social message and the study would make for a good program or retreat. Other ideas for working to end gender-based violence are available from the ELCA as well.
Over 6,000 organizations in more than 185 countries have participated in the Global 16 Days Campaign over the past three decades. The work first envisioned for a 16-day period now has a year-round emphasis and has moved from building awareness to imposing accountability. Learn more.