Today, Nordic embassies across Southeast Asia mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The day also kicks of the yearly campaign ’16 Days of Activism’, which focuses on the prevention and combatting of violence against women and girls. This year’s theme is femicide, which refers to gender-related killings.
Nordic embassies — Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway — in Myanmar took to Facebook to show support:
“We unite today to raise awareness and show solidarity with the survivors. We honor the tireless efforts of our partners who are working to promote gender equality and human rights in Myanmar.”
The world in orange
For the next 16 days, the world lights up in orange to mark the #16Days of Activism against gender-based violence. The campaign runs annually from November 25 — the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women — to December 10, Human Rights Day.
The Danish Embassy in the Philippines urges people to come together and raise their voices to raise awareness.
“We are committed to promote gender equality and support initiatives that combat violence in all its forms. Denmark stands firmly for a world where respect, dignity, and safety are universal rights.”
The Swedish Embassy in Bangkok has shared a photo of staff wearing orange scarves and ties to show their support, while the Finnish Embassy in Hanoi has temporarily changed its Facebook profile picture to orange.
The initiative is part of the UN Women, a UN agency for gender equality & women’s empowerment.
There seems to be a linkage between violence against children and violence against women. Austrian peace researcher Franz Jedlicka explains this “intersectionality” in his recent podcast episode (and on LinkedIn). And he also mentions the White Ribbon Campaign – a men’s movement to end violence against women.