Southern Africa: Gender-based violence and the importance of the 16 Days of Activism

Initially launched in 1991 at the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute, the 16 Days of Activism Campaign was borne with a view of bringing focused attention and public awareness to the destructive and progressively widespread effects of violence and abuse of women and young people in workplaces, homes, and communities. The Campaign highlights the continuous denial of dignity and self-esteem of women and young people, and spurs leaders and communities into progressive anti-abusive actions.

In addition to the above, the campaign also marks the progress of (sub)regional affiliates, future struggles, and strategies to combat gender-based violence (which violence includes physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse) that is predominantly experienced by the above-mentioned demographic at the hands of (un)known offenders. 

This campaign is especially relevant to the BWI trade union affiliates in Southern Africa as it draws attention to the 37 percent increase in GBV cases noted in 2021 in the sub-region. Today, workers in the sub-region are still subject to sexual harassment from male co-workers/authority figures, inappropriate (sexual, arbitrary, and/or discriminatory) jokes, threats, physical violence, intimidation, etc. This is worse in countries such as Mozambique where political, climate, and/or economic tensions exist. 

As with previous years, BWI affiliates in Southern Africa join the rest of the world in drawing attention to the violence that women and young people are confronted with daily. 

This year, however, the affiliates in this sub-region (namely, the Construction Workers’ Union of Mauritius (CMWEU), Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers’ Union (ZCATWU), Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (ZEWU), Cement & Lime and Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe (CLAWUZ), General Agriculture Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ), Cement & Lime and Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe (CLAWUZ), National Union of Building, Engineering and General Workers (NUBEGW), Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union (CEPPWAWU), Building, Construction and Allied Workers' Union (BCAWU), National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), National Union of Construction Industry, Timber and Mines Workers of Mozambique (SINTICIM), Sindicato Nacional (SINTAICAF), and Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU)) draw attention to the campaign and commemorate it with a Pledge for 16 Days of Activism  setting out specific actions to restore and maintain safe workplaces for workers’ potential and careers can be nurtured. 

Through this pledge, the affiliates proudly participate in the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and boldly (re)align themselves with the regional #StopGender-BasedViolence theme. 

BWI condemns any violation of human rights and encourages progressive consciousness and action against all forms of violence, discrimination, and violence against women and young people, especially between these global days of action (i.e., 25 November 2022 to 10 December 2022).