#16DaysOfActivism 2020

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. Our theme for the #16DaysofActivism this year is “ Online Harassment and Online Violence Against Women” under the global theme of "Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!" Online harassment and online violence is most of the time invisible but can have a serious psychological and psycho-social consequence on women and girls. Online harassment can include bullying, trolling, cyberstalking, defamation, hate speech, public shaming, amongst other offences. While laws against online harassment are yet to catch -up, crime rates are on the rise everywhere. ‘ Addressing online violence will require collective efforts from individuals, corporations, and governments.