November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The United Nations General Assembly has designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The Declaration issued in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”. https://www.un.org/en/observances/ending-violence-against-women-day

The UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union have encouraged governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities to support the day as an international observance.

Every year, from November 25 to December 10 (World Human Rights Day), Canadians observe the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This campaign was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. The global theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, is “Orange the world: End violence against women now!”