16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 2023 Report

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence took place from 25 November until 10 December. IANSA’s theme this year was “Take Action! Stop gender-based violence now.” Small arms and light weapons (SALW) are used to perpetrate or facilitate gender-based violence (GBV). GBV involves any act of violence targeting an individual on the basis of their gender. GBV encompasses violence against people based on their perceived or real sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sexual characteristics. This campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue of GBV and urge government officials to take effective measures to address it.

As part of IANSA’s project with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through contributions received from the European Union: “From the Bottom Up: Civil Society Engagement and Support for the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons“, small stipends were given to IANSA members to undertake activities during the 16 Days of Activism.

This report highlights campaign activities organised by IANSA members and includes members’ engagement with community leaders, authority officials, and government officials to gain support for measures to end gender-based armed violence. It also includes an overview of social media participation online from members and supporters from around the globe.

We are grateful for the continued support of our network members!