UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign

Photo: UN Women/Daniel Hodgson

In support of the civil society–led, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign (25 November – 10 December), the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign (UNiTE), is a multi-year effort aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls (VAWG) around the world. Managed by UN Women, UNiTE calls on governments, civil society, women’s organizations, young people, the private sector, the media, and the entire UN system to join forces in addressing the global pandemic of violence against women and girls. Read more.

#OrangeDay initiative

The UNiTE campaign has proclaimed the 25th of each month as “Orange Day”, a day to raise awareness and take action to end VAWG. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls.

Orange Day calls upon activists, governments, and UN partners to wear the colour orange, mobilize people and raise awareness, and take action to prevent and end VAWG, not only once a year, on 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month.

Orange Day 25 July – 25 August 2022: Addressing trafficking as a form of violence against women and girls

This month, 25 July – 25 August, the UNiTE campaign will focus on trafficking in the lead-up to the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, observed on 30 July. The theme of this year’s World Day against Trafficking in Persons is the “Use and abuse of technology”.

To learn more about the role of technology as a tool that can both enable and combat human trafficking and how it disproportionately affects women and girls, read the UNiTE action circular for July–August 2022.

Previous UNiTE action circulars from 2022 can be found here:

• May/June 2022 (Theme: Ending violence against women and girls in the context of conflicts)
• February/March 2022 (Theme: Ending violence against women and girls in the context of climate change) and the annex to this action circular (Theme: Agreed conclusions CSW66: From policy to action).

Ending gender-based violence in the context of COVID-19

To address the escalation of violence against women and girls in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020 the United Nations Secretary-General urged all governments to make the prevention and redress of VAWG a key part of their national response plans for COVID-19. The appeal was answered in a statement by 146 Member States and Observers who expressed strong support.

As a follow up to the Secretary-General’s call, the Secretary-General’s Executive Committee also adopted a “Political engagement strategy” for the entire UN system to mobilize commitments and action to end gender-based violence in the context of COVID-19.

All governments are called to make commitments and undertake policy actions around four key action areas: Fund, Prevent, Respond Collect. More details can be found in the UNiTE Campaign’s bimonthly action circulars in 2021:

• October/November 2021 (Theme: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence)
• August/September 2021 (Theme: Collect)
• June/July 2021 (Theme: Respond)
• April/May 2021 (Theme: Prevent)
• February/March 2021 (Theme: Fund)

Join Say NO–UNiTE on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up to get email alerts, to become part of a global network of people committed to realizing a future that is free from violence against women and girls.