Orange Your Neighbourhood
The Issue
To raise awareness and trigger action to end the global scourge of violence against women and girls, the UN observes International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence which follow (ending on 10 December, Human Rights Day) are a chance to mobilize and raise awareness.
Sobering numbers show that 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner; about 120 million girls have been forced into intercourse or other sexual acts at some point in their lives; and 133 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation.
Ending violence against women is one of UN Women’s key priorities, with myriad programmes to address the pandemic globally. UN Women also coordinates the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign, supports widespread social mobilization through its Say NO – UNiTE social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter, and manages the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.
The Beijing promise
At the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, UN Member States adopted the path-breaking Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, taking up the global call to end all forms of violence against women and girls by highlighting violence against women as one of 12 critical areas of concern. They recognized that violence is one of the main mechanisms denying women equality, and that it imposes high social, health and economic costs.
Since Beijing, an historic two-thirds of countries have put laws on the books to stop domestic violence. Advocacy campaigns around the world have heightened awareness and galvanized actions to stop violence. Yet gaps in laws, implementation of legal protection and essential services remain. Momentum has begun, but needs to rapidly accelerate.
This year, as we near the 20th anniversary of Beijing, we take a look at how violence is not only an area of concern in its own right, but one which cuts across and intersects with each of the critical areas of concern.
See how:
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- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/end-violence-against-women#sthash.WgH1g3XR.dpuf
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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on people to wear the colour orange to mark the International Day to End Violence against Women on 25 November.
It's also a chance to recommit to preventing and halting all forms of violence against women and girls, he noted.
Mr. Ban is asking people to make a special effort and advocate for the cause for the next sixteen days, between 25 November and 10 December, Human Rights Day.
It's also a time to pay tribute to all those many heroes who champion this cause, he says.
"One such a hero is the Dr. Denis Mukwege, who founded the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Women who go there have undergone terrible atrocities. Dr. Mukwege has said, I quote "Many times we are reduced to tears. Everything is so damaged. But we get to work. We operate. We fix what we can, and that is a lot." End of quote. He is inspired by the courage of the women he treats, including the many who go on to help others. He is inspired by the courage of his patients. We must confront and fix this problem everywhere."
The UN chief launched his UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign in 2008.
About the Campaign
In 2011, the United Nations Information Centre’s around Europe, UN Women, and the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign have asked europeans to create an ad to be published in newspapers, but this time saying: “No to Violence Against Women”. Violence against women and girls (VAW) is one of the most systematic and widespread human rights violations. No woman or girl in the world is entirely free of the risk of violence and abuse and this is unacceptable. Violence against women is a human rights issue with tremendous health, social and economic implications.
No to Violence Against Women - Campaign 2011
In 2011 we reached out for the second time to creative Europeans and asked them to contribute to the fight to eliminate Violence against Women. The aim of the competition was to increase awareness of a problem that affects one out of every three women worldwide.
Designers from Denmark, Kosovo and France won the top three prizes in the competition. The first prize went to Danish designer Trine Sejthen for Violence is not always visible.
The first prize, 5,000 Euros was given to Ms. Sejthen at a ceremony in Madrid on 25 November, the International for the elimination of violence against women by Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain, and organized by the Caixa Forum who donated the prize. Create4theUN - Say No to Violence Against Women
Treat me like a woman by artist Gjoke Gojani from Kosovo won the public vote prize, in which over 120,000 votes were cast.
Words by Raphaelle Moreau of France won the youth prize for participants under 25. The youth prize winner was selected by Fabrica, the Benetton Group´s communications research centre.
The awards were announced at a ceremony in Brussels which also marked the opening of an exhibition of the works of the 30 finalists at the Harlan Levy Projects Gallery. The exhibition in Brussels was the first of many in Europe, including displays in Copenhagen, Paris, Moscow, Prague and Kiev.
Take Action
The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, managed by UN Women, has proclaimed every 25th of the month as “Orange Day” – a day to take action to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls.
Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month.
2014 Orange Day themes
25 July – Addressing violence against women and girls in the informal labour market
25 June – Engaging Sport Communities and Addressing Violence against Women and Girls in Sport
25 May – Working with the corporate sector to end violence against women and girls
25 April – End conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls
25 March – End female genital mutilation
25 February – Ending violence against women and girls must be part of new development framework
25 January – Access to justice for survivors
Sign up for news and action alerts here! Follow @SayNO_UNiTE on Twitter. Like https://www.facebook.com/SayNO.UNiTE on Facebook.
2013
The overall theme for Orange Day in 2013 was ‘Safe Spaces for Women and Girls’, highlighting the recommendations of the agreed conclusions of the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57) which took place in March.
From 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December 2013, Human Rights Day, UNiTE called for a global action to “Orange Your World in 16 Days.” See what happened »
As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, organizations and activists organized local and national 'orange' events. From marches, marathons and panel discussions to radio and television programmes, concerts and film festivals, Orange Your World involved governments, celebrities, media, civil society organizations and the United Nations system on the ground and on social media to raise awareness and public engagement.
Storify on #Orangeurworld in #16days
- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action#sthash.thrL5Kva.dpuf
Facts and Figures
- Up to 70 per cent of women experience violence in their lifetime.
- Between 500,000 to 2 million people are trafficked annually into situations including prostitution, forced labour, slavery or servitude, according to estimates. Women and girls account for about 80 per cent of the detected victims
- It is estimated that more than 130 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM/C, mainly in Africa and some Middle Eastern countries.
- The cost of intimate partner violence in the United States alone exceeds $5.8 billion per year: $4.1 billion is for direct medical and health care services, while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion.
Campaign Background
We have received more than 2,700 ads, from 40 countries saying No to Violence Against Women.
Over 120,000 people cast their votes in the First Prize and the winner the selected by the Jury is Trine Sejthen for her ad ”Violence is not always visible”
The competition is an initiative of the United Nations Regional Informational Centre for Western Europe UNRIC, and UN Women, the new UN Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.
Afsané Bassir-Pour, the Director of UNRIC, praised the enthusiasm with which Europeans joined the competition saying “our aim was to raise awareness on this issue, help break the taboo, and to do this by reaching out to the European creative community. A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. So thank you Europeans.”
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