16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

Today marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, an international campaign that seeks to raise awareness and motivate action to end all forms of violence against women.

Gender-based violence is a hallmark of modern conflicts. Rape is not just a frequent occurrence, but a systematic tactic used by state and non-state forces alike to brutalize civilian populations. Such egregious sexual violence is recognized by international law as a crime against humanity, and perpetrators of the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda were convicted on counts of rape as a crime against humanity and a crime of genocide, respectively. Rape is also among the charges brought against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Numerous anti-genocide and human rights organizations are participating in the campaign:

• The Save Darfur Coalition organized education and activist opportunities for each day.

• Amnesty International is pushing for the passage of the International Violence Against Women Act.

• The International Rescue Committee is posting blogs by staff  members who work on the organization's gender-based violence programs.

• UNIFEM launched the "Say NO - UNiTE to End Violence against Women" campaign.

For more information on global activism against gender-based violence, see Change.org's Women's Rights blog.

[Photo of Darfuri refugees from Wikimedia Commons.]