16 Days of Action Against Gender Violence

Brownfemipower reminded me that today marks the first day of the 16 Days of Action Against Gender Violence, an international campaign originating "from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights."

This topic is something about which I blog regularly anyway, but I'm going to try to acknowledge this year's theme, Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women, over the course of the 16 days with some ideas about what we can all contribute to the fight to end violence against women, beyond just not engaging in violence ourselves.

One very basic way to get involved is to support the organizations working to end violence against women. Groups like Amnesty International and CARE are dependent on donations to continue their work around the globe, and your local domestic violence shelter will undoubtedly be grateful for contributions. Because many women (and children) arrive at shelters with nothing but the clothes on their backs, many shelters are also appreciative for donations of clothing, toiletries, and other basic necessities, too. Just picking up the phone and asking a local shelter what they need is a surprisingly easy way to get involved and make a real difference in your community.