16 Days to End Gender Based Violence is an international campaign aimed at ending violence against individuals based on their gender identity, gender expression, or perceived gender.
Gender-based violence is the product of an unequal society. We want to create a social environment where women, girls, trans, non-binary, intersex & two-spirit individuals are respected, treated equally, and walk in safety.
The theme for this year’s campaign is Each of us Together. Our goal is to highlight the complexity and interconnectedness of gender- based violence to demonstrate that action on issues that seem unrelated on the surface, can do a lot towards our goal of a society free of violence for all.
Gender-based violence touches and intertwines with dozens of parallel and connected issues, including housing, income inequality, addictions, racism and discrimination, mental health and trauma, the justice system and more. When we understand how these issues contribute to gender-based violence, we can see how tackling each one can contribute to our goal of a violence free community.
When we make the system work better for women, trans, non-binary, two spirit, intersex and agender folks, when we make it work better for Black Indigenous and People of colour, we make it work better for everyone.
Gender based violence is complex, but it is not unsolvable.
Together we can break the systemic barriers that contribute to gender-based violence.