16 days of activism against Gender violence

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence takes place each year to raise awareness, and call for the elimination of gender violence in all its forms. During this time, countries, organisations and individuals around the world will come together to take action.

Go to cafod.org.uk/16days to get involved>>

The campaign highlights important gender-related issues, such as conflict, sexual violence and HIV & AIDS. This year, it will be focusing on how conflict situations can affect or create violence against women.

What is gender violence?

The UN Beijing Platform of Action defines gender violence as physical, sexual or psychological. This could mean domestic violence, systematic rape as a weapon of war, trafficking, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, sexual slavery, honour killings and emotional abuse like coercion and abusive language. It can occur within families, extended families and communities. And it can be perpetrated by state actors - the police, the military, state officials and immigration authorities; even UN peacekeepers.

Gender violence occurs in every culture and social group and is perhaps the most widespread and socially tolerated human rights violation. It’s often understood as an issue that only affects women, but in reality goes beyond that.

Gender stereotypes (such as men being macho or women being victims) can also compound inequality in society. And stereotypes can stop us getting to the heart of the issue: Men and women are affected by gender violence, which can cause disruption and destruction in all areas of life and society.

Gender violence isn’t just about single incidents of abuse. The ripple effects can run right through a community, affecting everything from access to water and sanitation, to political and social equality.

How is CAFOD involved?

By building the water supply close to the hospital, Caritas Goma ensure women like Noela, Chantale and Riziki no longer risk being attacked fetching water from the river to wash their relatives’ bandages. [Laura Donkin]

Our vision is of a world where the rights and dignity of every person are respected and where women and men share equally in shaping their societies. We’ve been working against gender violence for many years, with partners around the world. For instance, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where 20 years of armed conflict have had devastating consequences. More than 200,000 cases of rape have been documented in the Eastern DRC since 1996; the actual numbers are probably much higher.

CAFOD partner Caritas Goma works in Minova in Eastern DRC, where women used to have to climb down the mountainside to collect water from the river. It was a journey that exposed them to harassment and attacks. But thanks to Caritas Goma’s emergency water and sanitation programmes, women can now fetch water easily and safely. And the health of the local population has improved dramatically.

Gender Violence in conflict is endemic and shrouded in silence and the perpetrators often go unpunished. Our partners like Caritas Goma work alongside people who have been affected by violence to offer them long term support.

We’re standing in solidarity with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign. Visit www.cafod.org.uk/16days to find out more about what our partners are doing.

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