TAKE ACTION FOR WOMEN
“We must unite. Violence against women cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance, by any political leader or by any government. The time to change is now. Only by standing together and speaking out can we make a difference.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonThe United Nations
UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)
Established an international bill of rights for women & an agenda for action by countries to guarantee the enjoyment of those rights. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cedaw.htm
Beijing Declaration & Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995)
An agenda for women’s empowerment to accelerate the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/
UN Women (UN Entity for Gender Equality & the Empowerment of Women)
Created by the UN in July 2010 to accelerate its goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. http://www.unwomen.org/
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Designated November 25 by the UN General Assembly. http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/violence/
TAKE ACTION: Join Say NO - UNiTE to End Violence against Women, a global platform for advocacy & action presented by UNIFEM to advance the objectives of the UN Secretary General’s UNiTE campaign to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world. Start or join an action http://saynotoviolence.org/join-say-no or sign my action page http://www.saynotoviolence.org/join-say-no/publication-novel-serpents-tale
Other Organisations
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign started by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991, which runs from November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, International Human Rights Day to emphasise that violence against women is a violation of human rights.
TAKE ACTION: download this year’s ‘Take Action Kit’ from http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu/2010-campaign/take-action-kit
Reclaim the Night
Since 2004 the London Feminist Network has organised the national Reclaim The Night march to say no to rape and male violence and demand justice for survivors. The UK rape conviction rate is still at its lowest ever, just over 5%. The march takes place each November as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women and demands the right to live without the fear or reality of rape and male violence.
TAKE ACTION: Join the march on Saturday 27 November 6pm, Whitehall Place, London http://www.reclaimthenight.org
The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC): Men Working to End Violence Against Women
The largest worldwide effort of men working to end violence against women with campaigns in 55 countries. White Ribbon Day is held on November 25.
TAKE ACTION: Make your personal pledge & get involved http://www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk/
Womankind Worldwide
Works with women’s organisations in Africa, Asia & Latin America to enable women to understand their rights and to use these rights to benefit their lives.
TAKE ACTION: Volunteer, fundraise and/or donate at http://www.womankind.org.uk/what-you-can-do.html
V-Day
A global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls, founded by author of The Vagina Monologues and women’s rights campaigner Eve Ensler. It holds thousands of events every year across 140 countries, has raised $75 million and reached over 300 million people in 11 years.
TAKE ACTION: Organise a V-Day event http://www.vday.org/take-action, sign the V-Wall For Congo and/or donate.
Million Women Rise
A coalition of individual women and representatives from the Women’s Voluntary and Community Sector who organise an annual national demonstration in London against male violence, coinciding with International Women’s Day in March each year.
TAKE ACTION: Sign their Statement of Demands, join the march, set up a local group, volunteer or donate. http://www.millionwomenrise.com/
End Violence Against Women (EVAW)
A coalition representing 7 million people and organisations across the UK who believe “we can and must create a world free from the threat and reality of violence against women and girls”.
TAKE ACTION: Sign up, donate and visit their action page for ideas on how to lobby the government and the Mayor of London. http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/
Women for Women International: Helping Women Survivors of War Rebuild Their Lives
Supports women in war-torn regions with financial and emotional aid, job-skills training, rights education & small business assistance so they can rebuild their lives.
TAKE ACTION: Sponsor a woman http://www.womenforwomen.org/sponsor-a-woman/sponsor-a-woman.php and/or get involved http://www.womenforwomen.org/help-women/help-women-globally-uk.php
If you would like your women’s rights organisation to be included on this Take Action for Women campaign list, please send us an email.
