The #16Days of Activism 2020

The extraordinary measures taken in the fight against Covid-19 show us that it is possible for the whole world to take action to deal with a deadly and debilitating phenomenon. It is taking huge and sometimes controversial social, political, economic and public health projects, policies and changes to address the pandemic. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, at the start of the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence, we demand governments take action and demonstrate the political will necessary to end the scourge of violence against women and girls.

Of course, not all governments have taken the public health crisis as seriously as they should have. The inevitable result has been unnecessary deaths and suffering. The same is true of violence against women and girls. The political will to pass and implement proper laws, services, and accountability would save the lives and futures of women and girls. It takes the ability to lead and lead well.

Throughout this crisis, we have seen measures taken by governments without thought of how they would affect existing inequalities and injustices. We know from our partners across the region that lockdowns increased the number of women and children experiencing violence in the home. Women’s groups who run help and advice lines for women across the region and the world have seen increase in demand for their services. Many lockdown policies were drawn up without consultation with women’s groups, without the the involvement of women ministers or decision makers. Women’s exclusion from or marginalization in policy making has led to real world consequences.

Throughout the 16 Days we will be highlighting how the crisis has worsened already disastrous inequalities, how women have been hurt by policies not designed and implemented by and for the whole community, and we will be calling for desperately needed legal reforms to end the discriminatory and dangerous laws that condone violence against women, demanding protections to be implemented.

So at the start of the 16 Days of Activism, we demand that concerted global action be taken to end violence against women, that this action must be designed and implemented with the constructive input of women and women’s civil society, and that we demand that governments address the inequalities and injustices exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.

Across the world, we have very quickly got used to new concepts like ‘social distancing’, ‘stay at home to save lives’. We can harness that same spirit to end a global phenomenon that scars and kills so many.

It is beyond time for this action, but we can end violence against women and girls.