WSCF joins 16 days of activism against GBV campaign 2022

The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) joins once again the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign that starts on Friday, November 25 with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and goes until International Human Rights Day on December 10. This campaign was launched by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at its first Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991. In 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign in support of this civil society initiative which runs parallel to the 16 Days of Activism.

This year’s UN campaign theme is “UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”, which invites us:

  1. to become activists for the prevention of violence against women
  2. to stand in solidarity with women’s rights activists
  3. to support feminist movements around the world to resist the rollback on women’s rights and calling for a world free from VAWG

WSCF joins this call on our global, regional and national levels, as it is an ethical and Christian mandate to continue advocating and building a more just world for women and girls. In this campaign SCMers from different countries reflect on their role as advocates for gender justice, the ways they raise awareness against GBV at their local Student Christian Movement and how they imagine a world without gender-based violence.

#ThursdaysInBlack

WSCF joins 16 days of activism against GBV campaign 2022 groupAs part of our commitment to eradicate gender-based violence, the WSCF formally adopted the Thursdays In Black campaign of the World Council of Churches at our last 37th General Assembly held in Berlin 2022 (click here to read more). Started in the 1980s, this campaign is a form of peaceful protest against violence and rape, especially taking place during wars and conflicts. The focus of the campaign is to challenge attitudes that cause rape and violence. During the 16 days of activism, on Thursday 1 and 8 December, we invite all our members around the world to wear black in their local movement/church activities and to have deep conversations regarding our responsibility as an ecumenical fellowship to build gender justice.

 

Let us pray…

WSCF joins 16 days of activism against GBV campaign 2022 prayerPrayer written by Dianet Martínez Valdés, Regional Secretary WSCF LACIt will never be love the blow, the threat, the insult, the indifference, the rejection;

There will never be peace made with submission, impositions, fear, lack of social opportunities and economic resources for all;

There will never be justice if we confuse culture with patriarchy, and continue to legitimize the supremacy of the white, heterosexual, global north and male power; and if we reproduce systems that make us slaves to an aesthetic dictated by the hegemonic media and a consumerism development model.

However, you, our God, insists on us and invites us every day to build your Kingdom of love, peace, and justice. Help us to be able to break the silences that perpetuate the violence in our world, especially the gender-based violence that occurs daily in our midst. We want to be transformed by your Word to live as full, free, and happy human beings in the exercise of the power that heals, listens, cares, respects, dignifies, and celebrates the diversity in which we have been created.

Amen.

Join our campaign!

  1. Share the videos we will be posting on our social media accounts about the campaign!
  2. Share our social media cards created to raise awareness on gender-based violence and the role of our ecumenical fellowship in the commitment to build a world without violence against women and girls. Click here.
  3. Use our “Thursdays in Black: towards a world without rape and violence” background in your zoom meetings every Thursday. Click here.
  4. During the 16 days of activism, on Thursday 1 and 8 December, we invite all our members around the world to wear black in their local movement/church activities and to have deep conversations regarding our responsibility as an ecumenical fellowship to build gender justice.

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