16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM
Every 3 days a woman is killed by a man in the UK
#NoExcuse. Unite to end violence against women this winter
25th November to 10th December 2024
16 Days of Activism is a global campaign fighting against gender-based violence
Spearheaded by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign beginning on 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and concluding on 10th December, Human Rights Day.
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violation in the world. In the UK it is a ‘national emergency’. It is happening at all levels, in all areas of our society.
Femicide, the killing of women and girls, is on the rise
2022 saw the highest number of women and girls killed in 20 years
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140 women and girls worldwide lost their lives every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative in 2023
Femicide is the ultimate and most brutal manifestation of violence against women and girls. In the UK, a woman is killed by a man every three days on average.
UNODC and UN Women’s new report has revealed that 60% of homicides of women are committed by an intimate partner or other family member.
Globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023. 60% of these homicides – 51,000 – were committed by an intimate partner or other family member.
140 women and girls die every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes.
UN Women UK urges the UK Government and the private sector to end femicide by:
- Accelerating whole-of-government National Action Plans to prevent and respond to VAWG
- Adopting corporate policies to support survivors
- Holding perpetrators to account by strengthening law enforcement and justice sectors
- Ensuring women’s and marginalised groups’ meaningful access to gender-responsive justice where they can seek remedies without fear of negative consequences
25th November: from a brutal assassination to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Three sisters – Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal – were brutally assassinated on 25th November 1960 after bravely opposing Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo and leading an underground movement that exposed the systemic violence of his oppressive regime.
Despite facing constant threats, harassment, and repeated imprisonment alongside their husbands, the Mirabal sisters remained resolute in their activism. Their assassination sparked public outrage, igniting the movement that would lead to the fall of Trujillo’s regime
Take your stand against gender-based violence and show there’s #NoExcuse
For the first time ever, UN Women UK is opening up its flagship Safe Spaces Now Bystander Intervention training to members of the public and organisations who want to go beyond words and play an active role in ending violence against women and girls.
Disabled women are more than twice as likely to experience domestic violence than non-disabled women in the UK
Black women experiencing domestic abuse are 14% less likely to be referred for specialist support by police than white women (they’re also 3% more likely to report the abuse)
LGBTQ+ women, trans people and non-binary people also experience high levels of Intimate Partner Violence.
Women are not a homogenous group and gender-based violence affects some women to different degrees or in different ways, which calls for nuanced responses.
Now is the time to unite and end violence against women for all.
Your donations help fund our work to end gender-based violence across the UK and around the world
50% support the UK’s Safe Spaces Now programme to make all public spaces safe for women and girls.
50% support the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women & Girls
This global grant mechanism supports initiatives that aim to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, often focusing on marginalised communities.
£10 helps fund critical survivor-centred research, providing evidence for national government to increase violence prevention work
£25 helps provide digital toolkits to prevent and tackle online violence against women and girls
£50 helps fund public education campaigns, empowering communities and organisations to prevent violence against women
£100 funds a trained community safety champion, who will safely intervene when a woman is targeted in a public space
The UN Trust Fund is supporting local organisations in the midst of war in Ukraine: “Though women are the most vulnerable, they are the strongest at the same time.”
When a crisis strikes, the UN Trust Fund provides rapid support to local organisations. One of these works to support single mothers in Ukraine.
Their leader, a mother of four children, was transporting people when her car was hit by targeted shelling. Nevertheless, she continued to drive until she lost consciousness. She said:
“It was important for me to get behind the wheel and show everyone that a woman does not succumb to fear, that a woman keeps it all operating. It lifts the spirits of other women and gives encouragement to men.”
Currently, she continues to coordinate the organisation’s work from the hospital.
Orange the World for 16 Days of Activism
Every year, we paint the world orange to symbolise hope for a future free from violence
Violence against women stops when we all take a stand
When you see a woman being harassed: Stop. Support. Report
| Stop and offer your help:
If it’s safe to do so, stop and offer your help to the person experiencing harassment (not the perpetrator). |
Support the person to safety:
Ask the person what would make them feel safe and then support them to safety. |
Report it if they want to:
Offer to help the person report the incident if they feel comfortable doing so. |
UN Women UK: the only organisation working towards gender equality at all levels, in all areas of society
Right now, we’re facing a 300-year wait for gender equality.
Women’s rights are being abused, threatened, and violated around the world. Progress won over decades is vanishing before our eyes.
Here at UN Women UK, we’re combating this through collective action at all levels of society – from governments to corporates, communities to individuals.
We’re here to ensure that every woman and girl has access to safety, choice and a voice. In the UK and around the world.