Sponsored By: UNITE to End Violence against Women
In July last year the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence
against Women campaign proclaimed every 25th of the month as Orange Day.
Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, worldwide
activities implemented on this day by UN country offices and civil society
organizations strive to highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending
violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November
(International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every
month.
Under the heading ‘Safe Spaces for Women and Girls’, this year the
UNiTE campaign is focusing its Orange Day activities on highlighting
recommendations of the agreed
conclusions of the 57th session of the UN
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57) which took place in March
this year. In April, UNiTE focused on ‘Safe
Work Places for Women and Girls’, in May, ‘Safe
Homes for Women and Girls’ while in June, Orange Day coincided with
the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (June 26th) and the
campaign focused on‘State
Custody and Care as Safe Spaces’ . In July it drew attention to ‘Cyber Space as
Safe Space for Women and Girls’ while the theme for August was ‘Sexual Violence
against Women and Girls in Conflict’. Ahead of the International Day of the
Girl Child (October 11th), the theme in September was ‘Safe
Schools for Girls’ and on October 25 the UNiTE campaign will highlight
‘Safe Public Spaces for Women and Girls’.
SAFE PUBLIC SPACES
FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS
Sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence in public
spaces is an everyday occurrence for women and girls around the world and is a
violation of women’s human rights. Women and girls experience various types of
sexual violence in public spaces including sexual harassment, rape, and
femicide. This violence may take place on the street, on public transport, in
parks, in and around schools, places of employment, and other public spaces in
urban and rural areas. Some cases are publicized and receive media and public
attention, while most cases go unreported and unaddressed.
Violence and the fear of violence reduces women’s freedom of
movement and rights to access education, work, recreation, and essential
services, and can restrict their participation in political life. It also
negatively affects their health and well-being. Despite these wide-ranging
consequences, violence against women and girls in public spaces remains a
neglected area, with few laws or policies in place to prevent and address it.
57th COMMISSION ON
THE STATUS OF WOMEN
At the 57th Session on the Commission of the Status of Women,
governments made specific commitments directed towards making public spaces
safer for women and girls.
For the first time the Commission on the Status of Women, the
highest global normative body on women’s rights, during its 57th Session
specifically included several clauses in its Agreed Conclusions document devoted
to safety of women and girls in public spaces, and particularly, in the
cities. It expressed “deep concern about violence against women and girls
in public spaces, including sexual harassment, especially when it is being used
to intimidate women and girls who are exercising any of their human rights and
fundamental freedoms.” (23, p4)
It called on the States “to increase measures to protect women and
girls from violence and harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying,
in both public and private spaces, to address security and safety, through
awareness-raising, involvement of local communities, crime prevention laws,
policies, programmes such as the Safe Cities Initiative of the United Nations.
(ZZ, p13)
SAFE CITIES GLOBAL
INITIATIVE
Launched in 2010 by UN Women, the Safe Cities Global Initiative,
involving over 15 cities is working to make cities safer for women and girls.
The Initiative builds on earlier efforts undertaken by women’s rights
organizations and local governments in cities around the world, and is
mobilizing more partners at all levels of society through two main programmes:
The Global Safe Cities Free of Violence against Women and Girls
Programme (2010-2016) implemented by UN Women in partnership with UN Habitat,
Women in Cities International, the Huairou Commission, the Women and Habitat
Network of Latin America and the Caribbean, UCLG, Microsoft, and other global
and local Partners. This is the first-ever global comparative programme that
develops, implements, and evaluates tools, policies, and comprehensive
approaches on the prevention of, and response to, sexual harassment and other
forms of sexual violence against women and girls across different
settings. It is being implemented in Quito, Ecuador; Cairo, Egypt; New
Delhi, India; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; and Kigali, Rwanda. Dublin,
Ireland became the first city in a developed country to join the Global
Initiative.
In 2011, UN Women, UNICEF, and UN-Habitat launched the “Safe and
Sustainable Cities for All” joint programme in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; San
José, Costa Rica; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Nairobi, Kenya; Beirut, Lebanon;
Marrakesh, Morocco; Manila, Philippines; and Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The Safe Cities Global Initiative forms part of a larger global
movement dedicated to building safe and inclusive cities with and for women and
girls to end sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women and
girls in public spaces.
Initial activities in the local communities revealed that, often for
the first time, women and girls are identifying sexual harassment and fear of
sexual violence in public spaces as barriers in their lives. The programmes
have also engaged men and youth. By launching their safe city programme, local
governments have committed to develop strategic and effective prevention
strategies that other countries and municipalities can learn from and adapt.
Learn
more.
ORANGE DAY ACTIVITIES
(25th October)
This month, the UNiTE campaign’s Orange Day will focus on Safe
Public Spaces for women and girls.
What can you do?
Organize a discussion with members of your community on the issue of
sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women and girls. Talk
about sexual harassment in public spaces and examine if it is an issue of
concern in your community, where it may take place, and what concrete action
can be taken to prevent and respond to it.
Share information with your municipality on the Global Safe Cities
Initiative and mobilize local action.
On Friday, 25 October, the UNiTE campaign will host a tweetathon.
Tell us about whether public spaces are safe for women and girls in your city,
what you think could be done, and share stories of what has worked. Join in the
discussion. The conversation will be facilitated by different partners for one
hour each throughout the day. Follow @SayNO_UNiTE and #orangeday on Twitter.
SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES
Twitter
On 25 Oct, #OrangeDay #UNiTE campaign says make public spaces safe
for women and girls.http://owl.li/mlJkg v
@SayNO_UNiTE
Happy #OrangeDay!This month #UNiTE focuses on safe public spaces for
women&girls.Involved in local initiatives?Share: http://owl.li/mlJkg
Today is #UNiTE's #OrangeDay! Talk about sexual harassment &
other forms of violence in public spaces http://owl.li/mlJkg #endSH
Today is #OrangeDay!Wear orange & #UNiTE to support
violence-free public spaces for women & girlshttp://owl.li/mlJkg v
@SayNO_UNiTE
It's #OrangeDay!Is ur city part of #Safe Cities?Find
out&mobilize ur municipality2make public spaces safe4women&girls http://owl.li/mlJkg
Join @SayNO_UNiTE tweetathon on #SafeCities! Follow hashtag
#orangeday throughout 25/10 & join the conversation. http://owl.li/mlJkg
How can we make cities safer for women & girls? Join
@SayNO_UNiTE #orangeday tweetathon 25/10 & share ur thoughts. http://owl.li/mlJkg
Sample Facebook messages
The UNiTE campaign has declared the 25th of each month
#OrangeDay. This month we are highlighting ‘Safe Public Spaces for Women and
Girls’. Join the tweetathon on violence against women and girls in public
spaces, and what can be done to eradicate it. http://owl.li/mlJkg
Today – 25 October – is #OrangeDay, a day to highlight violence
against women and girls. This month, we are focusing on ‘Safe Public Spaces for
Women and Girls’. Bring your community together to talk about whether your area
is safe, and what measures could be introduced.http://owl.li/mlJkg
Today is #OrangeDay. Is your city part of the Safe Cities
initiative? Write to your municipality and invite them to participate. http://owl.li/mlJkg
Sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence in public
spaces is an everyday occurrence for women and girls around the world. Are
public spaces safe for women and girls in your city? How can we make cities
safer? What is the Safe Cities Global Initiative? Join the [@SayNO – UNiTE to
End Violence against Women] tweetathon all day on 25 October!http://owl.li/mlJkg
Contact information
Anna Alaszewski
United Nations
Secretary-General's Campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women
Campaign Coordinator
Email: anna.alaszewski@unwomen.org
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