The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. While much has been done to end violence against women and girls, various challenges impede this from happening. This year we have marked the 16 days of activism in the middle of a particularly trying time, with the world in the throes of dealing with a global pandemic, COVID-19. This crisis has affected millions of people across the globe bringing with it death, fear, and uncertainty about the future. The ripple effects have undoubtedly been felt by each one of us, but some more than others. Specifically, poor and marginalized communities and more so vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and children. COVID-19 has in many ways exposed already existing gaps that have caused a rise to emerge issues in weak health care systems, fragile economies, unemployment, food, and water insecurity, massive migration flows and threats of civil unrest, which are in turn amplifying the impacts of the pandemic, thereby exacerbating key risk factors for GBV.
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