As November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for joining forces and urgent action to end violence against women. scourge of violence against women and girls.
BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) — As Nov. 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for joining forces and to act urgently to end the scourge of violence against women and girls.
On this occasion, several African countries launched campaigns to join the 16 Days of Activism aimed at combating gender-based violence (GBV) and defending the rights of women and girls.
Rwanda launched a 16-day campaign of activism against GBV on Monday, urging joint efforts to combat this type of violence. With this year’s national theme “All for families without GBV”, the campaign emphasizes family cohesion and collective responsibility in the prevention of conflicts and the fight against gender-based violence.
Consolée Uwimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, discussed solutions to eliminate all forms of GBV in communities, during a high-level dialogue held in the capital Kigali, saying collective efforts were necessary to end gender-based violence.
According to Jennet Kem, UN Women representative in Rwanda, these 16 days of activism are not just a time for reflection, but a time to act and continue to act. “Let us continue to work for a society where violence against women will be a thing of the past,” she said.
In Benin, a 16-day campaign of activism against gender-based violence was launched on Monday. Placed under the theme “Fight back and rebuild after violence”, this campaign will include a series of activities, aimed at promoting the rights of women and girls, raising awareness about protection and denunciation mechanisms, and also encouraging zero tolerance towards gender-based violence.
On the Cameroonian side, the campaign began Monday under the theme of “Every 11 minutes, a woman is killed. No excuses. All united to put an end to violence against women.
According to the report published by UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Africa recorded the highest rates of femicide committed by a close friend or family member in 2023, with around 21,700 women killed.
In 2025, the world will welcome the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which promised to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. The 16 Days of Activism is an opportunity to relaunch these commitments and demand accountability and action from decision-makers.
