November 25th: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed annually on November 25. The day is dedicated to raising awareness that women globally are subjected to various forms of violence and that the scale and true nature of the issue are often hidden.

The date of November 25 was chosen to honor the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 on the orders of the country's ruler, Rafael Trujillo. Their legacy inspired global action against gender-based violence. In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated November 25 as the International Day, inviting governments, international organizations, and NGOs to organize activities and raise public awareness of the issue.

The International Day also marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which runs until December 10, Human Rights Day. This period provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. The campaign uses the color orange as a unifying theme to symbolize a brighter future free from violence.

Each year, the day highlights specific issues surrounding gender-based violence. The theme for the 2025 campaign is "UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls". The focus is on mobilizing action from all members of society, including governments and technology companies, to address online harassment, deepfakes, and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse that can spill into physical violence.

We invite everyone to wear purple or orange on November 25 to raise awareness.

For more information, please see: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/maple-leaf/defence/2024/11/international-day-of-eliminating-violence.html