Not A Minute More

Violence against women persists in every country in the world as a pervasive violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality. Such violence is unacceptable, whether perpetrated by the State and its agents or by family members or strangers, in the public or private sphere, in peacetime or in times of conflict. ... [A]s long as violence against women continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace. —In-Depth Study on All Forms of Violence against Women: Report of the Secretary-General, 2006

For the most part, the human cost of gender-based violence is invisible. Fear and shame continue to prevent many women from speaking out, and data collected are often insufficient and inconsistent. There has been significant progress in the last two decades, however, to bring the issue into the open and place it firmly on national and international policy agendas.
Women’s organizations have taken the lead in developing innovative efforts to tackle the issue, including providing services, drafting and lobbying for legislation, raising awareness through advocacy, education and training, and building national, regional and international end-violence networks.

Networks that have been created by women’s groups at national, regional and global levels are growing in strength and impact. These networks, such as the Pacific Regional Network against Violence against Women, the Women, Law and Development Network in Africa, the South Asian Forum against Human Trafficking, and numerous others have come to play a leading role in raising awareness and pursuing positive change in community attitudes and practices related to gender-based violence.

These networks have inspired a wide range of campaigns that have brought the issue front and centre. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (25 November – 10 December) is an annual campaign that is symbolic of the global women’s movement and end-violence networks. Its starting day, 25 November, is observed each year to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were assassinated on the same date in 1961. The end of the 16 Days is marked by 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Coordinated by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership since 1991, the 16 Days of Activism involve hundreds of organizations around the world in activities ranging from media programmes to demonstrations, conferences, exhibitions and performances. In 1999, the UN joined the campaign by designating 25 November the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

More info here.