Every year, from 25th November to 10th December, the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. These 16 days represent a movement, a unifying call that reminds us that gender-based violence is a human rights violation and it affects communities, families and entire nations.
The campaign began in 1991, launched by women’s rights activists who wanted a global, coordinated push to challenge the violence that so many women and girls face in silence. The dates were chosen intentionally: 25th November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and 10th December is Human Rights Day. Linking the two sends a powerful reminder that safety, dignity and freedom from violence are not privileges. They are right.
Around the world, gender-based violence takes many forms, it can be physical abuse, emotional manipulation, sexual exploitation, economic control, harmful cultural practices, cyberbullying and online harassment. It happens in homes, schools, workplaces, streets and even digital spaces. The 16 Days of Activism pull these issues out of the shadows, ensuring that what has been normalized, hidden or excused is finally confronted.
What makes the 16 days so important is how they mobilize people across sectors and continents. Governments release commitments. Organisations hold community dialogues, awareness campaigns, and trainings. Survivors share their stories. Young people engage in digital activism. Artists use their creativity to spark conversations. The world, for a moment, moves in the same direction, all demanding safety, justice and accountability.
But the campaign is not just about raising awareness but also about prevention and protection. It pushes societies to challenge harmful norms, strengthen laws and support systems and create safe spaces for survivors to seek help without shame or fear. It reminds communities that violence does not end by chance it ends through intentional action, courageous conversations and long-term change.
Most importantly, the 16 Days of Activism are a reminder that this work cannot stop on December 10th. The campaign is meant to ignite action that lasts all year, shaping how we raise our children, how institutions respond to survivors, how communities challenge harmful behaviour, and how each of us stands up when we witness injustice.
In the end, the 16 Days of Activism speak that a world without violence is possible, but only if we refuse to look away, refuse to stay silent, and refuse to accept anything less than dignity, equality and safety for every woman and every girl.