ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
The 16 days of action is an international campaign that starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and finishes December 10, United Nations Human Rights Day.
Teachers are encouraged to participate in the 16 Days of Action Campaign. Go to the BCTF Social Justice webpage for links to posters and resources.
Rutgers 16 Days of Action against Gender-Based Violence Campaign: Scroll down to the bottom the webpage for the Take Action Toolkit.
NOVEMBER 25
International Day against Violence against Women and Girls
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.
In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:
- intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
- sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
- human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation);
- female genital mutilation; and
- child marriage.
DECEMBER 6
Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre & White Ribbon Campaign
On December 6, 1989, a man murdered 14 young women at a Montreal university. It was a tragedy that shocked Canadians and forced us to acknowledge the extent of violence against women and girls in our society. Two years later a group of concerned men started an awareness campaign on the issue of men’s violence against women. Men and boys were encouraged to wear white ribbons. Now, all people wanting to take a stand against violence against women wear the white ribbon to show their support.
White ribbons will be distributed by staff reps at the end of November – make sure you wear your ribbon to show your commitment to the stand against Violence against women. https://www.whiteribbon.ca/
DECEMBER 10
Human Rights Day commemorates the day the General Assembly of the UN adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR is one of UN’s major achievements as well as the first enunciation of human rights across the world.
Adopted on 10th December 1948, the Declaration stipulates universal values and a shared standard of achievement for everyone in every country. While the Declaration is not a binding document, it inspired over 60 human rights instruments that today make a common standard of human rights. It is the most translated document around the globe – available in over 500 languages.
http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/
