UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency organizes a number of activities across Pakistan in collaboration with UN agencies, its partners and refugees to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence – an international campaign that runs from 25 November through 10 December every year.
Individuals, institutions and organizations across the world, plan activities to highlight that violence against women is a breach of human rights, calling for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
To support this initiative, started by the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991, the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign by 2030 (UNiTE campaign) calls for global action to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and innovations. This year’s theme is “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!” which focuses on the COVID-19 crisis. While keeping in mind COVID-19 SOPs, UNHCR’s offices across Pakistan have planned activities that focus on combating violence against women and girls, including to emphasize the positive role of individuals.
The UNHCR Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Noriko Yoshida, said that arranging such activities are aimed at expressing solidarity with survivors of violence and raising awareness about discriminatory practices against women. “Everyone has a role to play to end violence against women and make the world a safer and prosperous place to live in,” she said. —INP
