Call of duty against gender-based violence

Domestic violence cases received by AWAM’s Telenita helpline increased immensely with the number of cases surging by 145.4% in 2020, and 161.7% in 2021. Photo: Freepik

The annual #16daysofactivism towards eliminating violence against women – which runs from Nov 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to Dec 10 (Human Rights Day) – is important as it not only highlights sexual and gender-based violence in society, but challenges the silence that surrounds it. It is important as global estimates by the World Health Organisation indicate that about one in three (or roughly 736 million) women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. And, this figure has remained unchanged for the past decade.

But, while it is important to mark the #16daysof activism, it shouldn’t be a once in a year observation, says Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) advocacy director Abinaya Dhivya Mohan.