Law Campaign
White Ribbon Day
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge not to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and children. In December 1999, at their 54th Session, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This was in recognition of the magnitude of the problem and the urgent need for serious commitment by the world community to make finding solutions a key priority.
The origins of November 25th go back to 1960, when the Mirabal sisters, activists from the Dominican Republic, were violently assassinated for their political activism. The sisters, known as the ”Unforgettable Butterflies,” became a symbol of the crisis of violence against women in Latin America. November 25th was the date chosen to commemorate their lives and promote global recognition of gender-based violence, and has been observed in Latin America since the 1980s.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an annual global campaign started in 1991 by the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University in the United States. The campaign begins on November 25th, runs through World AIDS Day on December 1st and ends on Human Rights Day on December 10th.
Since it was started, more than 1,700 organizations in 130 countries have participated, using the annual campaign as an organizing strategy to call attention to gender-based violence and better resources to combat it.
Source: International humanist and ethical union.
