KITUO CHA SHERIA BLOG

In 5 days 16 days of activism against gender-based violence starts, and Kituo is joining! It runs from the 25^th of November to 10^th of December.

But, what is 16 days of activism?

16 days of activism against gender based violence started twenty four years ago in 1991 from the first women´s global leadership institute by the center for women´s global leadership in 1991 at Rutgers University. Today the campaign has seen over 5,478 organizations, governments, UN agencies and countless individuals from over 180 countries worldwide. The campaign have brought attention to issues of sexism, racism, cultures of violence, homophobia and calling upon the implementation of the world human rights obligations. The 16 days of activism campaign is driven by groups and individuals around the world who´s fighting for the elimination of ALL forms of violence against women through awareness at the local, national, regional and international level The dates, November 25^th which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and December 10th which is Human Rights Day, were chosen to emphasize the links between ending gender-based violence and human rights values and highlight that gender-based violence is an international human rights violation.

The following campaigns over the years:

• From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!(2011-2012)
• Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women(2010)
• Commit ▪ Act ▪ Demand: We CAN End Violence Against Women (2009)
• Human Rights for Women ‹—› Human Rights for All: UDHR60 (2008)
• Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women! (2007)
• Celebrate 16 Years of 16 Days: Advance Human Rights ‹—› End Violence Against Women (2006)
• For the Health of Women, For the Health of the World: No More Violence (2004-2005)
• Violence Against Women Violates Human Rights: Maintaining the Momentum Ten Years After Vienna, 1993-2003 (2003)
• Creating a Culture That Says ‘No’ to Violence Against Women (2002)
• Racism and Sexism: No More Violence (2001)
• Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the Campaign (2000)
• Fulfilling the Promise of Freedom from Violence (1999)
• Building a Culture of Respect for Human Rights (1998)
• Demand Women’s Human Rights in the Home and in the World (1997)
• Bringing Women’s Human Rights Home: Realizing Our Visions (1996)
• Vienna, Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing: Bringing Women’s Human Rights Home (1995)
• Awareness, Accountability, Action: Violence Against Women Violates Human Rights (1994)
• Democracy without Women’s Human Rights . . . is not Democracy (1993)
• Violence Against Women Violates Human Rights (1991/1992)

This year’s theme is: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All!”

“This year, the 16 Days Campaign will focus specifically on the relationship between militarism and the right to education in situations of violent conflict, in relative peace, and variety of education settings, while continuing to make the links with militarism, as an encompassing patriarchal system of discrimination and inequality based on our relationships to power.” –from Rutgers University website.

Kituo invites you to join and get active!

Tune in to the Haki blog tomorrow and read about what you can expect from Kituo Cha Sheria during the 16 days of activism.

For more information on the 16 days of activism and how you can get involved go to: http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu/

By,

Christina Malmgren

AGCP – Kituo Cha Sheria