16 days of activism: 10 ways to end violence against women

Ending violence against women is everyone's business.

For day 11 of the 16 Days of Activism, I wanted to share some suggestions for how people can get active and start campaigning.

You can show your solidarity with feminist movements and advocates around the world.

Whether you're a seasoned activist or just getting started, here are ten ways that UN Women suggest for you to act now to end violence against women and girls.

1. Speak up, speak out

Let survivors and activists know you stand with them. Amplify their voices and stories. Use #orangetheworld, #16Days, #PushForward and #GenerationEquality to join in or start your own conversation about gender-based violence.

2. Know the issue—and the signs

Know what to look for by familiarizing yourself with the different kinds of violence.

3. Call out sexual harassment

Create a safer environment for everyone online and offline by challenging your peers to reflect on their own behaviour and speaking up when someone crosses the line. My column in last Friday's Glasgow Times spoke of the specific need for men to be active in calling this behaviour out.

4. Challenge beliefs on masculinity

Toxic masculinity drives violence against women. Traditional concepts of masculinity tend to emphasize traits like aggression, strength and control—while disparaging sensitivity, empathy, vulnerability and other traits traditionally associated with femininity. Support the men and boys in your life to embrace caretaking, emotional expression and other traditionally non-masculine traits.

5. Fund women's organizations

You can donate to local organizations such as Glasgow East Women's Aid that empower women, support survivors and promote actions and policies designed to reduce and prevent violence.

6. Call for better responses and services

Services for women and girls experiencing violence can be the difference between life and death. Call on government to bridge funding gaps of feminist organisations. Get more involved by volunteering or donating supplies to local organisations.

7. Demand more data

As gender-based violence has spiked due to COVID-19, climate change and other crises, the gaps in gender sensitive data collection have become more glaring than ever. Call on government to invest in the collection of data on gender-based violence.

8. Push for stronger laws

The world needs stronger protection mechanisms to prevent and eliminate violence, harassment, threats, intimidation, and discrimination against women human rights defenders and women's rights advocates and activists. Find out more and call on government to strengthen legal frameworks.

9. Support women's leadership

Women's representation in decision-making spaces helps to ensure that the needs of women and girls are front and centre in crisis responses, humanitarian and peace agreements and policies of all kind. Call for women's increased representation in leadership, and for heightened protections for women in positions of power.

10. Build solidarity with other movements

Violence against women and girls is inherently connected to other forms of harm and injustice, including racism, homophobia, xenophobia, ableism, poverty, and climate change. Strengthen the fight against gender-based violence by getting involved in other social and political movements, and getting activists from those movements involved in yours.

This abridged content and graphics are courtesy of UN Women. You can read their original article in greater detail on their website.