Global campaign strives to make schools free of gender based violence

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2015-11-19

The message is going to be loud and clear as Education International prepares to voice its support for the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence Campaign from November 25 to December 10.

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Education International (EI) is taking a leading role in the 16 Days of activism, an annual international campaign coordinated by the Rutgers University-based Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) in New Jersey, USA. The 16 Days, ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All,’ are bookended by two major events. It begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls on November 25th and wraps up on the International Human Rights Day on December 10th. These symbolic dates were chosen to emphasise that violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights.

The 16 Days Campaign calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women through:

● Providing campaign, advocacy and awareness-raising tools about gender-based violence at local, national, regional and international levels;

● Being a platform for local and community organising to address the issue of gender-based violence;

● Providing a forum through which organisers are able to develop new and effective strategies to address gender-based violence.

As the voice of educators and education support personnel worldwide, EI member organisations are leading actors in tackling gender-based violence in and around schools and other educational settlings, and an important force for protection and change.

Last July, the 7th EI World Congress adopted a resolution on school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), which addresses one of the most pernicious barriers to the full enjoyment of the right to education in all regions, making it impossible for far too many schools and other educational establishments to be ‘safe sanctuaries’ for quality learning and teaching. Eliminating this violence is key to achieving many of the new United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in September.

Source: Education International

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