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USAID, Partners Commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Thursday, December 3, 2009 (Addis Ababa) – Today the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) joined its development partners to share experiences in combating gender based violence in Ethiopia and to commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

Her Excellency W/zo Muferehat Kamil, Women’s Affairs Minister, and Ms. Nancy Estes, USAID/Ethiopia’s Acting Mission Director attended the event, held at Pathfinder International. “USAID/Ethiopia stands in solidarity with its partners, government, and the people of Ethiopia in pledging to continue to work together to raise awareness that violence against women and girls is unacceptable, that it harms development, and damages lives and opportunities,” Ms. Estes announced to the assembled crowd.

USAID partners at the event -- including Population Council, Pathfinder International, Engender Health, and Medical Sciences for Health (MSH) -- noted the need for education, life skills trainings, and engagement of men to prevent gender-based violence. Religious leaders also presented their work on gender-based violence, and a short drama and a film were shown by Circus Ethiopia and Biruh Tesfa, respectively. Representatives from the Women’s Affairs departments from the Ministries of Health, Education, and Youth Affairs, and health-related associations also attended the event.

Recognizing gender-based violence as one of the drivers of new HIV/AIDS infections, USAID, through funding from President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), devised a strategy to address gender inequalities and empower women through gender mainstreaming of all HIV/AIDS services, including prevention, care and support programs.

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Beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and ending on International Human Rights Day (December 10), the 16 Days of Activism is an international campaign that advocates for greater prevention efforts to end gender-based violence. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Commit, Act, Demand: We CAN End Violence Against Women.”

"Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms... In all societies, to a greater or lesser degree, women and girls are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and culture." —Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, paragraph 112.