16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence – 2009
Resources and Reports | For More Information
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| Do You Know What
Gender Violence Is? |
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Gender-based violence both reflects and reinforces inequities between men and women and compromises the health, dignity, security, and autonomy of its victims. It encompasses a wide range of violent acts that include:
Domestic violence
Using rape and other forms of
sexual violence as a weapon of war
Female genital mutilation/cutting
Dowry-related violence
Child marriage
Trafficking girls and women
Honor crimes
Bride kidnapping
Forced marriage
Wife inheritance
Sexual harassment
Date rape
Forced sterilization or other coercive
reproductive practices |
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Source: Curt Carnemark |
What Are the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence?
From November 25th through December 10th, USAID will join the global community in observance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. Beginning on the International Day of Eliminating Violence Against Women and ending on International Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism is an international campaign that advocates for greater prevention efforts to end gender-based violence (GBV). The theme of this year’s campaign is Commit, Act, Demand: We CAN End Violence Against Women.
What is the Impact of GBV?
The United States is committed to improving the lives of women and girls who are survivors of GBV and to recognizing the important role women play in both family and society. GBV is a pervasive public health and human rights issue that perpetuates inequalities between men and women in all aspects of life. Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused. Such physical violence has serious consequences. GBV is:
- Detrimental to women’s physical and mental health
- A major cause of morbidity and mortality
- A roadblock to solving a number of other global health priorities, such as effective use of family planning and prevention of HIV transmission
What is USAID Doing to Help?
USAID and its partners are committed to addressing GBV as a major public health and human rights issue and as an impediment to development. USAID works to create in-country networks of health care facilities, NGOs, social service centers, legal institutions, and educational systems that act as support systems for survivors of violence.
These networks work to end practices that harm girls and women, compromise their health, and interfere with access to education and advancement of equal status and rights. They also provide GBV survivors the comprehensive support services they need to recover and rebuild their lives. Through creative behavior change and communication activities, attention is brought to the roles and behaviors that contribute to the culture of violence.
With the assistance of USAID, countries have developed key legislation to address issues of GBV, such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, female genital cutting, and trafficking in persons. These efforts have not only improved the health of women and girls, they have enabled survivors to become advocates for change.
Resources and Reports
USAID Issue Briefs
Relevant USAID Global Leadership Priority Technical Areas in Family Planning
Program Resources
Addressing Gender-Based Violence Through USAID's Health Programs: A Guide for Health Sector Program Officers – September 2008 [PDF, 1.5MB]
This publication provides USAID program officers with specific recommendations to integrate gender-based violence initiatives into their health sector portfolios.
Violence Against Women and Girls: A Compendium of Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators – October 2008 [PDF 842KB]
This publication provides a set of monitoring and evaluation indicators for program managers, organizations, and policymakers who are working to address violence against women and girls at the individual, community, district/provincial, and national levels in developing countries.
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| Source: Curt Carnemark |
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New Insights on Preventing Child Marriage: A Global Analysis of Factors and Programs – April 2007 [PDF, 1.2MB]
Published by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), this report is for policymakers and development practitioners working on or planning a future program to prevent child marriage. It offers a better understanding of what programs currently exist and how to expand efforts.
Abandoning Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: An In-Depth Look at Promising Practices – December 2006 [PDF, 1.6MB]
Funded by USAID, this collaborative new work on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) attempts to answer the number-one need identified by development experts surveyed on FGM/C: the need for more information on evaluated case studies that illustrate what is working and why.
For More Information
USAID's Office of Women in Development
The Office of Women in Development works in the areas of gender integration, economic growth, education, and legal rights to promote a stronger, more productive role for girls and women in developing countries. Visit the 16 Days of Activism Web site
The Interagency Gender Working Group (IGWG)
Established in 1997, IGWG is a network comprising USAID cooperating agencies, NGOs, and the USAID Bureau for Global Health. The IGWG promotes gender equity within population, health, and nutrition programs with the goal of improving reproductive health and HIV/AIDS outcomes and fostering sustainable development.
Center for Women’s Global Leadership
The Center for Women’s Global Leadership, founder of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, was created in 1989 to study and promote how and why women lead and to develop programs that prepare women of all ages to lead effectively.
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