‘ORANGE THE WORLD IN 16 DAYS’
TOOLKIT FOR 25 NOVEMBER AND 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM 2013
1. Background
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign which takes place each year, and runs from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day), also encompassing other important key dates. The 16 Days Campaign is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of violence against women and girls. It originated from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute coordinated by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is commemorated on 25 November each year. In 2012, the global theme for the International Day “A Promise is A Promise” focused on the importance of upholding the promises of international human rights standards during the upcoming fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57) for which the theme was preventing and responding to all forms of violence against women and girls. The outcome of CSW57 was a set of Agreed Conclusions between Member States; the first on this topic for 15 years. The Agreed Conclusions reiterate and build on existing standards and provide additional guidance for countries in their responses to violence against women and girls. Throughout 2013, the UNiTE campaign has sought to highlight aspects of the agreed conclusions on its 'Orange Days'.
This year, as with the last, the UN System will observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women under the umbrella of the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign. At UN Headquarters in New York, an event will be held to mark the day. The UNiTE campaign and the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations will host an event which will include a panel of speakers followed by a theatrical performance in which women victims of domestic violence deliver monologues from ‘beyond the grave’.
An invitation has been issued to the UN System, Civil Society Organizations and individuals to organize local, national and regional event, which should feature the colour orange to ‘Orange the World in 16 days’ - on November 25 and throughout the 16 Days of Activism. This moment of global action will create the symbolic image of a world free from violence against women and girls. This image serves to remind us that we must remain committed to making this our shared goal by supporting ongoing initiatives and ensuring that eradicating violence against women and girls remains a national and international priority.
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A key step towards this future will be ongoing commitments made by states, and their implementation. All Member States of the United Nations pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, eight international time-bound goals that were established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000. As 2015 approaches, a process is underway to define the development framework that will succeed them. In order to sustain and advance efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls, it is vital to ensure that violence against women is positioned as a priority within the new agenda or risk that the issue will slip down the agenda, progress on existing initiatives may stall, and hard fought gains may be lost.
The UNiTE campaign is advocating for a stand-alone goal to achieve gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment, of which freedom from violence should be a core element. The goal must be grounded in human rights and tackle unequal power relations. A gender perspective must be reflected throughout the framework in all other goals, which should also seek to address the structural causes of gender inequality and other forms of inequalities, as well as the inter-linkages between the economic, environmental and social dimensions.
UNiTE Campaign activities on the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women and during the 16 Days of Activism have the following objectives:
• To highlight violence against women and girls as a violation of human rights;
• To call for a stand-alone gender equality goal as part of the post Millennium Development Goal Framework, of which freedom from violence for women and girls must be a key target area.
2. Campaign outreach ideas for 25 November and the 16 Days of Activism
ORGANIZE NATIONAL EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENTS
• Organize a panel event in your country and invite a Government representative to report back on initiatives to end violence against women and girls in your country.
• Other panelists could include: At least one civil society partner, a survivor, a media representative, a youth representative, members of academia, members from judiciary or law enforcement, UN partners, or other relevant national stakeholders.
• Please invite national/local media to cover the event, and check if a media house can host the event, or a journalist can be part of the panel or moderate the discussion.
• Theme the event orange through banners, posters, orange lights, project the UNiTE logo onto the side of the building etc.
ORANGE THE SKY
• Organize a public ceremony with government representatives, civil society partners, UN partners, media representatives, young people and relevant stakeholders, to follow up and take stock of commitments that have been realized, and the discuss the way forward.
• Release orange balloons in the sky afterwards.
ORANGE THE STREETS
• Organize a flash mob!
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• Organize a walk with government, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to mark 16 Days of Activism. Wear orange and have orange banners, face painting, banners, posters etc. during the walk.
ORGANIZE A TALK SHOW
• Involve local and national broadcasters, community radio stations, to host “talk shows” on the issue of ending violence against women and girls. Invite Government representatives to participate and share the actions that have been taken since their commitments; encourage listeners to call in with their messages.
ORGANIZE A CONCERT
• Engage local musicians in a concert, encourage them to give messages of violence prevention, and encourage them to compose songs on ending violence against women and girls.
• Encourage local/national civil society organizations to distribute information flyers at the event
• Have a Government representative talk about their commitments and what is being done to end violence against women and girls in the country.
• Orange the event by using the color orange in banners, clothes, posters, balloons, etc.
ORGANIZE A FILM EVENING
• Show films on the theme of violence against women, or that are relevant to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• Organize a panel to speak after the screening and invite activists, film makers and academics to participate.
SEND US PHOTOS AND INFORMATION FROM YOUR EVENTS
• Please send a one-page write-up about the event, the national actions taken, speeches and draft remarks Anna Alaszewski , UNiTE Campaign Coordinator (anna.alaszewski@unwomen.org ) so that we may highlight them online.
• Please send high-resolution photographs taken at the event, in jpg format, along with captions and photo credits, to digital.assets@unwomen.org and anna.alaszewski@unwomen.org, via email, or via http://dropbox.com/, or www.wetransfer.com.
3. Social media
Social media messages will be provided in advance. Please use these and share them with partners.
UNiTE uses Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and its own social mobilization platform Say NO – UNiTE:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SayNO_UNiTE; hashtags: #orangeurworld, #16days
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SayNO.UNiTE
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/saynotoviolence
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/saynotoviolence
Say NO – UNiTE: http://saynotoviolence.org
UNiTE website: http://endviolence.un.org/
Link to global action page: http://saynotoviolence.org/join-say-no/unite-campaign-orange-day
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4. Key messages
Violence against women is a human rights violation.
Violence against women is a consequence of discrimination against women, in law and also in practice, and of persisting inequalities between men and women.
Violence against women impacts on, and impedes, progress in many areas, including poverty eradication, combatting HIV/AIDS, and peace and security.
Violence against women and girls is not inevitable. Prevention is possible and essential.
Violence against women continues to be a global pandemic, and its eradication must be adequately prioritized in the post Millennium Development Goal Framework.
5. Useful quotes
“Violence against women is not inevitable. Mindsets can change. Data collection can be strengthened. States can and must provide legal aid, increase police capacity, extend the reach of protection plans and bring to justice perpetrators. And let us not forget the simple power of naming and shaming. Prevention must be our watchword.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“We must unite. Violence against women must not be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance, by any political leader or by any government. There can be no exceptions, no excuses and no delay.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“There is one universal truth, applicable to all countries, cultures and communities: violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“Men must teach each other that real men do not violate or oppress women – and that a woman’s place is not just in the home or the field, but in schools and offices and boardrooms.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“Across the world, people are mobilizing to stop the abuse of women and girls. This is no longer just the concern of women’s organizations. More and more people realize that gender-based violence is everybody’s problem and that everybody is responsible for stopping it.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“The global pandemic of violence against women and girls thrives in a culture of discrimination and impunity…We must speak out.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“By standing together we can end violence against women and girls and build a world where all live free from harassment and fear…”This will have benefits that reverberate far beyond the affected individuals as they become empowered to help create a better world.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
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6. Advocacy and Communications Materials
Orange the World poster in English and Spanish : http://saynotoviolence.org/join-say-no/orange-world-16-days
UNiTE Brochure: A Promise is a Promise: http://endviolence.un.org/pdf/UNiTE_Brochure_EN_small
UNiTE Campaign video: A Promise is a Promise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yvT85TitEI
UNiTE Ribbon
Soon to be available at www.unwomen.org:
UN Women Executive Director's message
Soon to be available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0pb90pv3edx3ojf/u1LqwHB48j
Banners and images for online use
Facebook cover photo
Social media messages
7. 16 Days of Activism: key dates
25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29 November: International Women Human Rights Defenders Day
1 December: World AIDS Day
10 December: International Human Rights Day
8. Contact
For more information, questions or support, please contact Anna Alaszewski, UNiTE Campaign Coordinator, anna.alaszewski@unwomen.org.
