Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is both a human rights violation and one of the most widespread drivers of poverty. As well as impacting on mental and physical health, violence (and the threat of violence) can also deny women and girls opportunities that would otherwise help to lift them out of poverty, such as attending school, working outside of the home and participating in civil society. Ending VAWG is a core pillar of Oxfam's work on putting an end to gender injustice.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence runs from 25 November, the International Day of Eliminating Violence Against Women, until 10 December, International Human Rights Day. In this way the international campaign highlights the fact that violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights. The campaign has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by:
Raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels.
Strengthening local work around violence against women.
Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women.
Providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies.
Demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women.
Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.
