By 2030, UNFPA pledges to stop all types of violence against women and girls as well as other harmful behaviors. Every year, the 16 Days of Activism campaign offers a significant platform for drawing attention to our shared mission to stop violence against women and girls. This year, under the UNiTE theme, “Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls”, UNFPA will focus on making online spaces safe by highlighting digital violence and all forms of gender-based violence (GBV) facilitated by technology.
They will also emphasize new approaches to GBV prevention and response strategies as well as the ability of activism to stop violence in both the physical and digital spheres. UNFPA seeks to advance its mission of ensuring that women and girls can exercise their unalienable right to feel safe, prosper and flourish wherever they are by elevating the voices of changemakers.
Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) joined the world in commemorating 16 days of activism against GBV. For us this year’s theme was Unite – activism to end violence against women and girls with disabilities. Girls with disabilities from ZPHCA prepared advocacy messages on violence against women and girls with disabilities and recorded videos sharing their messages.
Due to the intersection of gender and disability, women and girls with disabilities confront unique challenges in obtaining their rights. They endure denial of their dignity and autonomy, as well as prejudice, exclusion and isolation all too frequently, both in public and within their own families. Hence through the stated 2022 theme we want to unite as all stakeholders to end violence against women and girls living with disabilities.