About the Mongolian 16 Days Campaign
The “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute in 1991. Participants chose the dates November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically emphasize that violence against women is a human rights violation. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) this year, the 2008 international theme is: “Human Rights for Women, Human Rights for All: UDHR60.”
The objectives of the 16 Days Campaign are to:
Raise awareness about domestic violence and human rights, with the goal of preventing future violence.
Encourage men to take a personal stance against violence.
Foster solidarity between all people on this issue.
Challenge people to speak out, and think about their own actions, language, and beliefs.
Encourage active civil society participation.
Lobby governments to take positive tangible action on this issue and to implement previous promises made to eliminate violence against women.
Build a network of individuals and organizations committed to creating a community free of violence against women and children.
The Mongolian 16 Days campaign runs in conjunction with the international campaign of the same name. In Mongolia, one in three women has experienced some form of violence and one in ten has been battered. Yet despite the gravity of the situation, domestic violence continues to be treated as a private family problem and the Mongolian government fails to allot the necessary resources to address the issue.
The Mongolian 16 Days Campaign intendeds to address the serious problem of gender based violence and to contribute to ameliorating the social and institutional environment surrounding the issue. A public and media campaign is a powerful tool for engaging the Mongolian people, lobbying the government, and advocating for positive change.
History of 16 DAYS CAMPAIGN IN MONGOLIA SINCE 1997
| 16_days_camaign_history_in_mongolia.doc |
Please see the international campaign website for more information http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/home.html
