Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, La Strada International joins the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign calling for an end to violence against women and girls (VAW). The campaign runs until 10 December, the Human Rights Day, uniting people around the world to demand action and accountability to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence.
First launched in 1991, the campaign remains as urgent as ever, as women and girls across the globe continue to suffer from violence, harassment, and discrimination, restricting their access to human rights, limiting their access to education, decent work, and participation in public life.
Still today, one in every three women has experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, and in fragile or conflict contexts, this figure doubles.
This is also reflected in human trafficking, which is inherently a gendered crime and a grave human rights violation. For decades, women and girls have been systematically over-represented among identified trafficked persons, particularly in cases of sexual exploitation, where they continue to make up the large majority of detected victims. Gender inequality, discrimination, and socio-economic vulnerability further heighten their risk of exploitation.
We also take this opportunity to publish, together with Impact – Center Against Human Trafficking & Sexual Violence in Conflict, our report on trafficking for the exploitation of forced marriage, a profoundly gendered crime that affects women and girls across the globe, yet remains under-recognised and insufficiently addressed by policy frameworks.
Over the years, the initiative has united activists, organisations, and communities across all regions to advocate for change.
For the next 16 days, LSI will use its platforms to raise awareness for VAW and highlight the work of LSI members and relevant CSOs all over Europe.
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Day 1: Report: (Trafficking for the Exploitation of) Forced Marriage
Day 2: ILO Convention 190: Violence and Harrassment Convetion
Day 3: Latvia Must Uphold the Istanbul Convention
Day 4: European Parliament Resolution: Gender Equality Strategy
Day 5: Sex Work IS Work
Day 6: Gender as a Risk Factor for Human Trafficking
Day 7: RESILIA Project: Resilient Mental Health and Empowerment for Migrant and Displaced Women
Day 8: Giving Tuesday
Day 9: Gender-Based Violence
Day 10: See the Unseen: Rights for Workers in the Domestic and Care Sectors
Day 11: (Trafficking for the Exploitation of) Surrogacy
Day 12: UNiTE to End Digital Violence against ALL Women and Girls
Day 13: Undocumented Women
Day 14: Help and Hotline numbers – La Strada International Members
Day 15: Stronger Victims’ Rights Across the EU
Day 16: Human Rights Day: Hidden Exploitation in the Hospitality Sector