What are the 16 days of activism all about?
Women’s and girls’ rights are facing growing global threats, with rising discrimination, weaker legal protections, and shrinking funding for essential support systems.
Only 87 countries have ever had a woman leader, and every 10 minutes a woman or girl is killed by a partner or family member. Technology and AI amplify harmful stereotypes, while the digital gender gap restricts women’s access and opportunity.
Conflict has also pushed 50% more women and girls into crisis zones over the past decade. Women human rights defenders face constant harassment and even deadly attacks, while global challenges, such as from COVID-19, through to the climate crisis and rising food and fuel costs, intensify the need for action more than ever.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day).
The campaign aims to:
- Raise awareness of sex and gender-based violence.
- Promote advocacy and inspire action to end violence against women and girls.
- Mobilise governments, organisations, and communities to strengthen laws, services, and prevention efforts.
- Highlight gender and sex-based violence as a human rights issue.
This year’s theme is “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls” on the year which marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – one of the most progressive international agreements on women’s rights to date.
Every day is ‘16 days of activism to end (Male) Violence Against Women and Girls (MVAWG) for me (or technically MVAWC the rest of the year - C for children). I am privileged to do this work. It inspires me, it fills me with drive, and it means I get to meet the best people in the world.
However, each year, and especially over the last few years, we have seen a backlash against the rights of women and girls like never before. UN Women’s latest report, Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing, found that nearly one-quarter of governments reported this backlash against women’s rights in 2024. So, we must fight on and plan ahead. This work never stops.
Every year, I see more and more people and organisations leading amazing events for the 16 days, and so I collate a timetable of what I feel are some of the best and free-to-access events and resources, so that we can all raise awareness and contribute.
I really feel a need to say that, as ever, there are not a huge number of events tailored specifically for women and girls with disabilities. These women and girls are 2–3 times more likely to experience gender-based violence than those without disabilities.
We must do better.
In previous years, I worked with Signs of Hope to produce a video with women who are visually impaired and women who are D/deaf to raise awareness of domestic abuse. The term ‘Deaf’ with a capital D refers to individuals who identify with Deaf culture and use sign language as their primary language, while ‘deaf’ with a lowercase d refers to the audiological condition of hearing loss without necessarily implying cultural affiliation. I am in the process of developing further research that will be driven by women with disabilities.
So, please make it your pledge to do something specifically to support women and girls with disabilities - because they face disproportionately high levels of violence, discrimination, and barriers to justice, and your commitment can help drive meaningful change toward equality and safety.
Why does this matter?
MVAWG remains one of the most widespread and devastating human rights violations globally, rising year-on-year. The reason I clarify the M, the Male in MVAWG, is very simple:
Males are the majority perpetrators of violence against women and girls.
A 2025 report estimated 84,900 women were murdered worldwide in 2023, the highest femicide toll recorded since 2014.
In England and Wales, a woman is killed by a man every three days, and 1.6 million women experience domestic abuse annually.
Global scale of violence against women: An estimated 736 million women - almost one in three - have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older). This figure does not include sexual harassment. These women are more likely to suffer from trauma, depression, anxiety, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and HIV, with long-lasting consequences.
These figures are not just statistics - they are a call to continued, increased and sustained action.
The family courts are a core institution that continues to subject victim-survivor mothers and children to harm globally. At SHERA Research Group, we heavily focus on these overlooked systems. Our research in England and Brazil shows that women and children are routinely disbelieved, punished for reporting abuse, and forced into unsafe contact arrangements, including with convicted child sex offenders. We urgently need new protections for women and children in family courts: trauma-informed practice, survivor-driven oversight, and accountability for judicial harm.
As we mark the 16 Days of Activism, SHERA RG, the research group I lead, is preparing to launch new campaigns that spotlight family court abuse, amplify survivor voices, and demand systemic reform. The solution lies in robust responses, holding perpetrators accountable, and accelerating action through well-resourced national strategies and survivor-driven movements.
An abuser can never be a safe parent.
All children deserve safety.
All women deserve peace.
Timetable of events for the 16 days
Below is a timetable I put together of public events and actions you can join to help end MVAWG and push for justice in the family courts and beyond.
25 Nov
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
White Ribbon Day – Take the Pledge
Everyone can speak up this White Ribbon Day by sharing a photo or video on social media, at work and with friends and family, saying why you speak up for women and girls. https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/wespeakup
Join the 16 Days conversation on social media: use #NoExcuse and #ACTtoEndViolence.
Use #WeSpeakUp on social media to spread the word.
Waltham Forest Launch Event
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/16-days-of-activism-launch-event-tickets-1965078507715
Orange the World
Get involved by wearing something orange to symbolise a brighter future free from violence against women and girls.
26 Nov
Suzy Lamplugh Trust
Suzy Lamplugh Trust are offering a 30-minute Bystander Intervention Training to empower everyone to be active bystanders when they see harassment taking place. Sign up here.
Signpost to support
By directing women experiencing abuse to the right support, churches can play an important role in standing alongside women who are trying to leave or recover from abusive relationships. Share Safe in Faith’s signposting toolkit to help upskill your church leaders. Signposting Toolkit
27 Nov
Fleet Street Sound Bath
This relaxing sound bath free meditation session has been designed to reduce stress, ease tension, and promote mental clarity through soothing sounds produced by instruments like gongs, crystal bowls, and tuning forks. Sign up here.
Safe and Together free training for educators in Angus
The Safe and Together model provides a framework for working in partnership with the non-offending parent, while holding the perpetrator accountable to achieve better outcomes for families. Sign up here.
28 Nov
Dr Dalgarno invited speaker at PEEPSA
SHERA Research Group Founder and Director will be presenting to the PEEPSA victim-survivor support Group on health, trauma and beyond the family courts. To support PEEPSA’s essential work, including building Christmas packages for victim-survivor families in need, donate here.
Organiser: HERSANA Free event When Technology Turns Toxic: AI, Abuse & The Realities of the Black Femme Experience in the Digital Age
10:00am to 11:30am online. This 90-minute, entry-level workshop explores how tech abuse and emerging AI tools are reshaping the landscape of gender-based violence, particularly for Black femmes. Through an intersectional lens, participants will unpack how power, bias, and digital control intersect in the lives of survivors, and learn how to identify, prevent, and respond to tech-facilitated abuse. Sign up here.
29 Nov
Safe in Faith is 4!
Safe In Faith has now been working for 4 years to foster better support for survivors of domestic abuse in faith communities. Mark the occasion by printing posters to put up in your church, signposting women to key support. Safe in Faith also offer training for church leaders, including brand new training on domestic abuse across cultures.
30 Nov
Donate to a food bank
Domestic abuse is the leading cause of homelessness for women. You can support mothers and children by donating to your local food bank. Search for your local food bank here.
1 Dec
Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse ‘A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness’ Screening and Panel’
Nominated for the 2016 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short, this 40-minute film tells the harrowing true story of Saba, a young woman from Pakistan’s Punjab region who survives an attempted ‘honour’ killing by her own father and uncle after marrying for love. Sign up here.
EIDA webinar - supporting colleagues in the workplace who are subjected to domestic abuse. Sign up here.
2 Dec
Tackling Digital VAWG Training: Free event, Bexley Community Group
A 1-hour online awareness session around the risks of cyber violence against women and girls, and how we can tackle it. Time: 11 am to 12 pm. Location: Online via MS Teams. Register here.
3 Dec
International Day of Persons with Disabilities - Click here to see a host of things you can do today and every day to support people living with a disability.
Digital violence against girls with disabilities is a severe and underreported issue, amplified by the intersection of gender, sex and disability. Known as Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), this abuse takes many forms and has significant physical, psychological, and social consequences. Girls with disabilities are at increased risk due to societal attitudes, low digital literacy, and dependence on caregivers and technology. Explore the SVRI resources here to see how you can support these women and girls.
The You Trust
Don’t forget about me: Teenagers and Domestic Abuse
Free webinar about how to engage with your teenage children about healthy relationships. Sign up here.
Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO) awareness session, 12 noon to 1:00 pm sign up here.
Safe in Faith / Caritas Westminster
Insecure immigration status is regularly used as a tool of control by abusive partners or employers, with migrant women fearing they will be deported if they report abuse. Read about the Latin American Women’s Rights Service campaign for safe reporting mechanisms. You can also support their work for women with No Recourse to Public Funds.
4 Dec
BKH training free online event
Incel and Misogyny - 16 days of activism workshop. Effective safeguarding and referral options covering risk indicators, incel lexicon and memes, the wider “manosphere” and more. Register here.
5 Dec
Safe in Faith action:
Strengthen your understanding of what abusive behaviour in relationships looks like and how to respond. Read CSAN/Safe in Faith’s Do Justice guide on Domestic Abuse and the National Board of Catholic Women’s resource pack.
6 Dec
Social Media campaign Super Sheroes Day
#SheroesDay – Wear your super shero outfit, orange or purple to show support for family court survivors and raise awareness of family court and #institutionalabuse – post your pictures with the hashtag #SheroesDay. Access key statistics and resources here and at www.shera-research.com
7 Dec
Speak more: Talk about consent
Share the F.R.I.E.S. toolkit and Eau Claire resources with young people you know - Freely Given (not pressured, forced or coerced), Reversible (just because someone agreed to something before, it’s not an automatic yes, and consent can be withdrawn at any time), Informed (everyone understands what activity they are agreeing to), Enthusiastic (not just going along with the activity but excited to be doing the activity!) and Specific (agreeing to one activity isn’t agreeing to all similar activities).
8 Dec
STADA Housing Response to Supporting Survivors of Digital Abuse
STADA are delighted to invite you to an online lunch and learn session themed ‘Housing Response to Supporting Survivors of Tech Abuse’. Register here.
9 Dec
ESDAS Polish webinar on domestic abuse
Free online webinar in Polish to help increase awareness and understanding of domestic abuse. This session will explore the dynamics of domestic abuse, the signs to look out for, and the barriers that victims and survivors may face when seeking help. Click here to register.
10 Dec
International Human Rights Day – share a commitment
Share 1 commitment to survivor-driven change. Tag your MP and @UN_Women.
Donate to Resolute Women’s Support Services www.resolutesupport.uk Resolute is a survivor-led organisation supporting women and girls through the long-term effects of domestic abuse. Please support them to continue to offer:
• One-to-one and peer support
• Family court advocacy
• Trauma-informed recovery programs
• Holistic therapies and training
To read more about MVAWG, family court and post-separation abuse, visit my Substack here.