Women's rights activists are yet again set to jointly call for the end of violence against women (VAW) during this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence from November 25 to December 10. This year's campaign will focus on strategies and actions necessary in overcoming challenges and obstacles that hinder activists to further their work to end VAW.

“Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women” will be the theme of this year's commemoration of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence from November 25 to December 10.

For 2007, celebrations worldwide will focus on overcoming challenges and obstacles that hinder the progress of activists, networks, and organisations that campaign to end all forms of violence against women (VAW).

Some of these  challenges and obstacles, which can be treated as either demands to be made on the state or other institutions, or as actions that must be taken by activists, will be highlighted in this year’s 16 days campaign:
- Demanding and securing adequate funding for work against VAW;
- Calling for greater accountability and political commitment from states to prevent and punish all forms of violence against women in practice, not just in words;
- Increasing awareness of the impact of violence against women, including engaging in measures to end it by men and boys;
- Evaluating the impact and effectiveness of work to prevent violence against women;
- Securing the space for advocacy and defending the defenders of women’s human rights in their work to end gender based violence.

For 17 years now, the 16 Days Campaign has been held annually to raise awareness about gender-based violence. Each year, thousands of activists from all over the world use the campaign to further their work to end violence against women. The campaign has celebrated victories gained by women’s rights movements. It has challenged policies and practices that allow women to be targeted for acts of violence. It has called for the protection of people who defend women’s human rights. And it has demanded accountability from states, including a commitment to recognise and act upon all forms of violence against women as human rights abuses.

To participate in the campaign or to learn more about related activities across the globe, and for further information, visit the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) website at <http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/home.html>.