16 Days of Advocacy to End Gender-Based Violence
A Digital Exhibition
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and ends on International Human Rights Day on 10 December. The global theme of this year’s campaign is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls” which emphasizes the need for funding prevention strategies to proactively stop gender-based violence.
This year as part of the global campaign, we called upon our members and supporters, local artists and storytellers, to utilize creative outlets in order to advocate for the elimination of gender-based violence. In our current times of challenges and uncertainty, let us come together with open hearts and minds, and to invest in safe spaces for creative advocacy and self-expression.
Poetry & Spoken Word
Spoken Word 'Enough with violence against women' –Relebohile Lefojane, South Africa
You are a man
I am a woman
Fully and equally human
Just like you
Fully deserving of love and respect.
Yet you my brother
Yes, you my husband
Yes, you my father
has decided to make me a punching bag.
I’m your victim of slaughter.
You have slaughtered my confidence, my worth, my ability.
Though I am clothed, my soul is naked.
Clothed with garments of shame,
inferiority.
My body has been bleeding,
my heart has been torn as sunder.
Tears gather momentum on my face daily yet, not even an ounce of compassion rises from within you.
How long
will you persecute me?
How long will you violate my human rights?
How long will you beat me as if I’m just an animal and I’m devoid of feelings and pain just like any human being?
Will you repend only the day I lose my breath there’s no more oxygen in me
and my children are left without a mother
My siblings and loved ones are all crying and wishing me goodbye
and they’ll never see me again.
How long, my brother?
Enough with violence against women.
I command you, murderer.
You abuser
To repent.
No more violence against women.
'Rivers of Blood' –Zainab M. Hassan, Somalia
Hitting humiliation
Tears of pain
Tears of worthless
Rivers of Blood
Jerking joking
Tears of hurt
Tears of trauma
Lakes of pain
Strangling striping
Tears of sorrows
GBV victims’ tears
Streams of sorrows
Raping robbing
Tears of shame
All around the world
Springs of fear
No is not a consent
No means a Dead End
Stop
End GBV
'Let Us Halt Gender-Based Violence' –Muslim Centre for Justice and Law, Uganda
Remove the anger from your hearts
Put on a smile in whatever you do
Wear a robe of love and peace
Polish your heart with a love aroma
Remove jealousy from your thoughts
And gratify your partner
Cherish the absence of violence
Hurtful words are as violent as a storm of fists
Bruises and broken limbs are not a sign of love
Insecurity is not a sign of love
Reckless invasion of privacy is not a sign of love
Caring is a sign of love
Respect is a sign of love
Gratitude is a sign of love
Love has no pain
But rather has a beautiful existence
Let us halt gender-based violence
'The Vicious Beast' –Martha Nakhate, Malawi
In our village there’s a beast
That devours the flesh and mind like it is a feast
Everyone pretends as if they don’t see
When it comes from the sea
But we all saw it
When it finished his strength and soul
We though he was a man he shouldn’t have cried
Oh! Yes, he should have fought back and not run away like a coward.
In our village there’s a beast
when it passes by it defeats one’s self-esteem and confience
when we saw her cry, we though it was all pretense.
We all saw it attach that woman,
We encouraged her to live with beast
Make the pact with the devil,
We threatened her that she will lose that value and level
If she dares to let go
Oh! Yes, who is going to take care of Her.
In our village there’s a beast and
It is called gender-based violence,
It comes in many forms,
Be it Physical, mental and financial
With our mouths we have feed it and let it grow
By saying you are a man you shouldn’t cry like a baby
We have often told her she can’t live without him
But together we can defeat the monster
The beast called gender-based violence.
Author Statement
The vicious beast in the poem is a hidden meaning for the Gender-based violence which most of the time shutters its victims confidence, self-esteem, and the will to leave. In the poem, we see Gender-based violence affecting a man, but society expects him not to cry because he’s a man. We also see Gender-based violence affecting a woman in a relationship but society expects her not to leave the relationship for the sake of the title and care she gets from the relationship. In the last stanza, its a call that by working together, we can end Gender-based violence.
'Breaking the Chains: Empowering Minds, Ending Violence' –PsyEduc Global Team, Cameroon
In the realm where darkness looks, A campaign of strength and hope blooms. For  sixteen days, we unite as one, To end violence against women, it shall be done.
In shades of orange, our emblem shines, A beacon of courage, a symbol that defines, The fight for justice, for peace to prevail, For every women’s right, we shall not fail.
Mental health, a crucial part we embrace, For scars unseen, we leave no trace, Empathy and understanding we extend, To heal the mind, to help transcend.
In this campaign, we build a bridge, To foster peace, to break the siege, For violence knows no border or race, Togeher we stand, in this sacred space.
Let’s educate, let’s raise awareness, Let’s shatter the silence, let’s address, The root causes that breed violence’s seed, For a world where all women are freed.
For sixteen days, let’s join hands, Let’s spread love across all lands, Let’s end the violence, let’s find a way, To create a world where peace holds sway.
In the campaign to end violence, we vow, To empower women, to change the how, Together we rise, united we stand, For future where justice is at hand.
Author Statement
This poem aims to shed light on the pervasive issue of gender-based violence. Through powerful imagery and thought-provoking words, the poem delves into the experiences of survivors, the importance of raising awareness, and the urgent need for collective action. We believe that poetry has the ability to evoke emotions and inspire change.
'Orange the World' –Yin Mon Naing, Myanmar
To Orange the World, where violence is hurled,
Highlight the fight against this plight,
for women and girls, their sacred right.
Feature the strength they possess,
unleash their dreams, their progress.
Through our unity, we find that might,
against the darkness, stand up and fight.
So let’s unite and ignite,
Orange the World, and end violence’s blight.
#OrangeTheWorld
Messages to end Gender-Based Violence
Aehshatou Manu, African Indigenous Women Organization Central African Network, Cameroon
Esther Oman, Reach Out NGO, Cameroon
Queen Gladys, Africa End Sexual Harassment Initiative, Cameroon
Anyola Tufon, Justice and Peace Commission, Cameroon
Photography
Women Activists in Yemen Photos by Abductees’ Mothers Association
Submitted by Shaimaa Abdulrahman, Yemen
Submission Statement
We are a women’s rights organization in Yemen, founded and led by mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters of the missing, detained, and forcibly disappeared individuals, by all parties in Yemen. We are dedicated to promoting the role of women in peacebuilding and supporting women whose loved ones have been arrested or disappeared. We recently organized an activity that involved hosting a group of women from the families of the kidnapped, whom we rehabilitate and train to defend rights and make peace from different geographic areas, where they wore traditional clothing and raised slogans rejecting violence against women.
A Yemeni woman behind the ancient Bilqis Temple.
Women who miss their kidnapped relatives join together to raise awareness.
Sister of one of the kidnapped relative.
Yemeni women from the families of kidnapped people in the countryside.
Wife of one of the kidnapped relative.
The President of the association with a female human rights activist.
UNITE! Invest to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls Photos Centre for Advocacy in Gender Equality and Action for Development (CAGEAD)
Submitted by Clotilda Andiensa, Cameroon
Submission Statement
United with over 63 young girls, we have launched the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence in Fundong Boyo Division. Young women in this community have increasingly been victims of conflict related forms of GBV especially rape, with very devastating consequences. It’s against this backdrop that CAGEAD with support from African Women’s Development Fund is investing time, knowledge, skills, raising awareness, and developing strategies to prevent and manage GBV in their communities. Learn more about CAGEAD’s activities here.
Group advocacy message to end gender-based violence in Cameroon.
Group training in Cameroon.
Graphic Art
‘Ending Violence Against Women’
By Hi Voices, Pakistan
About Hi Voices
Humanity in Voices is a minority youth-led initiative working for rights of young minorities in Pakistan. We have a dedicated female-led initiative, Women Voices, working for the empowerment of marginalized young girls and women groups. We have empowered more than 2000 young people to raise their voices for their issues including gender-based violence and women empowerment. Learn more about Hi Voices here.
‘Women rights are human rights too’
By Abiola Oluwayoumi, Nigeria
Artist Statement
The piece is a powerful visual representation of the message conveyed by the quote. It depicts two hands together, symbolizing unity and support. The hands are surrounded by a heart-shaped outline, representing love and compassion. The background of the artwork is a newspaper clippings, highlighting the prevalence and seriousness of the issue. The artwork is intended to inspire people to take action against gender-based violence and to promote a culture of respect and equality.
‘Imprisoned Daisy’
By naCrée, Switzerland
Artist Statement
The visual of the flower is a symbol of a person, trapped in a cycle of violence.
Documentary
Clip of women in tailoring class supported by Norwegian Church Aid
Submitted by Hidaya Dude, Tanzania
Submission Statement
This group consists of 15 students and two teachers. All of them just finished their primary and some finished secondary school and they are just staying home. Some of them have already married and have children. Norwegian Church Aid Tanzania supports them with all materials for the three months tailoring class and after that, they get certificates. They can employ themselves after they finish and get money to fulfill their basic needs. We also teach them about human rights, gender-based violence, interfaith relations, and peacebuilding.
#OrangeTheWorld Collection of Photos by MasterPeace Bangladesh
Submitted by Istiak Ahmed, Bangladesh
Submission Statement
The slideshow reflects on photos of the past activities of MasterPeace Bangladesh, a member of the Peacemakers Network, organized to support womens’ rights, peace, gender equality, womens’ activities in traditional sports and cultures, education, and social and voluntary activities.
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