Written by Susan Dobkins, Director of Vista Hermosa Foundation | Co Director of Broetje Family Trust
November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (GBV). This year’s theme is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”.
Vista Hermosa Foundation remains committed to supporting efforts to end gender-based violence and its particularly harsh impacts on women and girls. From child marriage to human trafficking and domestic violence, victims, their families, and entire communities continue to suffer and even die from acts of violence.
Many of Vista Hermosa Foundation’s grant partners around the world, including World Vision, contribute to efforts to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence. They address a range of issues affecting the wellbeing of survivors, build communities, and establish systems for protection and response. World Vision’s PURPOSE Project, which Vista Hermosa Foundation supports, has engaged faith actors in a continuum of care focused on prevention, protection, and response to sexual and gender-based violence. World Vision will host a webinar on this program, which is part of its Gender Equality and Social Inclusion initiative on Tuesday, December 5th. You can sign up here.
We are also committed to mitigating gender-based violence by addressing its root causes. Some of our grant partners focus on approaches such as economic empowerment, health and protection systems strengthening, male engagement, and survivor-centered interventions that maintain confidence and empowerment. In Kenya, our partners in West Pokot are collaborating with their communities to prevent child, early, or forced marriages, and to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation and support at-risk-girls to attain education and vocational training.
We are proud of the partnerships we have cultivated over the years that contribute to eliminating gender-based violence.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a reminder that more work remains to be done. This consortium and other efforts led by World Vision, bring together other likeminded organizations and individuals whose faith can become a foundation for evidence-based, practical education, care and support to effectively tackle the causes and consequences of sexual and gender-based violence.
It is not possible to deliver sound faith-based programming that is preventing or responding to sexual and gender-based violence or protecting its survivors or those at risk by only increasing attention to the problem. We must also increase resources to address its root causes and strengthen place-based interventions to eliminate it. What will you do to advocate for change? Here are some ways to learn more and get involved:
- UN Women’s 16 Days of Activism website
- Video: Tackling Gender-Based Violence in Kenya
- World Vision’s LinkedIN article on 16 Days of Activism: Vision for Change: Ending Gender-Based Violence and Building Secure Futures