16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

From November 25th (International End Violence Against Women Day) through December 10th (International Human Rights Day), USAID joins the international community for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, we join thousands of organizations around the world in calling for an end to gender-based violence.

Dedicated to this mission, our Agency has taken a number to steps to ensure we are working as effectively as possible. In August 2012, we joined other government agencies to launch the first-ever U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence [PDF, 1.5mb]. President Obama signed an accompanying Executive Order, which directs all relevant agencies to implement the Strategy and creates an interagency working group. We also released the Ending Child Marriage and Meeting the Needs of Married Children: The USAID Vision for Action [PDF, 463kb].

During these 16 Days, let us honor and remember all those who have been affected by gender-based violence and redouble our efforts to end this enduring outrage.

~ USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

See how USAID and its partners are marking the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

USAID Efforts Targeting Gender-Based Violence

USAID programs address the root causes of gender-based violence; improve prevention and protection services; respond to the health and economic needs of those affected; and support legal frameworks that, when implemented, mitigate against it. 

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Young people in the village of Bunyakiri, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). By helping young people to develop positive beliefs and attitudes, a USAID project can prevent future acts of violence, and contribute to peace and equity in DRC.

J. Harris, International Medical Corps

Prevention

• Early Lessons Aim to End Rape Epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
• Empowering Women in Rural Azerbaijan
• Opening “Doorways” to Safer Schools - Stories from Ghana and Tajikistan
• Promoting Evidence and Action for Respectful Care at Birth [PDF, 505kb]

Response and Support

• Gender-Based Violence and HIV: Turning Evidence into Action
• The Crucial Role of Health Services in Responding to Gender-Based Violence
• Gender-Based Violence: An Impediment to Reproductive Health
• Aiding Survivors of Gender-Based Violence in the DRC [PDF, 123kb]
• A Center for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence in El Salvador

Addressing Harmful Traditional Practices

• Issue Brief: USAID Works to Support the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
• Combating Early Marriage from the Ground Up
• Women Making a Difference: Maryam's Story
• Giving Girls a Chance Against HIV/AIDS

Women gather at a CTIP-supported community orientation meeting in Kanchanpur, a remote district in the far west of Nepal. The CTIP (Counter Trafficking in Persons) program is implemented by The Asia Foundation.

The Asia Foundation

Anti-Trafficking

• Challenge Slavery: The Counter-Trafficking in Persons Campus Challenge
• How We Can End Modern Day Slavery - The MTV Exit Campaign
• A Trafficker Behind Bars: A Counter Trafficking Success Story
• USAID Training Brings Justice to Victim of Trafficking Attempt

Working in Conflict and Post-Conflict Settings

• Women Find Support in Survival in the DRC
• Supporting Women's Engagement in Peace-Building in Uganda
• Peruvian Women Work to End Violence in Coca-Growing Regions

Engaging Men and Communities

• One Man Can: Changing Men's Attitudes
• Yemeni Communities Unite Against Child Marriage
• Women Find Justice Amidst Impunity

Blog Posts

16 Day Challenge: U.S. and Afghan Governments Partner to Combat Human Trafficking
posted November 28, 2012 by Aditya Raval, Rachel Roe, and Kevin O'Loughlin, USAID Afghanistan

16 Day Challenge: Let’s Eliminate Gender Violence
posted November 26, 2012 by Carla Koppell, Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

Learn More

• Join the Conversation with USAID Global Health:  www.twitter.com/usaidgh / www.facebook.com/usaidgh
• Statement by Vice President Biden on the Anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, November 25, 2012
• United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence [PDF, 1.5mb]
• Ending Child Marriage and Meeting the Needs of Married Children: The USAID Vision for Action [PDF, 463kb]
• USAID Counter Trafficking in Persons Policy [PDF, 343kb]