16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence - ACRATH Campaign
Join ACRATH and the international community for 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The United Nations 16 days of activism begins on 25th November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the anniversary of the brutal assassination of Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa Mirabal, three activists in the Dominican Republic in 1960. It ends on 10th December – Human Rights Day, the day on which the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Individuals and organisations worldwide use it to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. This year ACRATH is joining the global campaign by asking you to join us each day as we offer a different focus on the 16 days of activism.
- Join us
- Reflect with us
- Take action with us
Please check our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts daily for the focus and how you can take action with us.
Pope Francis reminds us:
“It is not possible to remain indifferent
before the knowledge that human beings
are bought and sold like goods!”
Join the ACRATH Campaign
There are a number of ways you can join us as we stand up for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence such as:
1. Spread the Word
Have our informative posters printed in your school, workplace, church or community news bulletin. Tag us on socials or send us an email with your posters on display at: networks@acrath.org.au to be featured on our socials.
Claire Griffin csb, Kerry Stone, Romina Mariniello beside the ACRATH 16 Days poster at Catholic Social Services Victoria
Ange Duthie - ACRATH office
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2. Join our Daily Reflections and Call to Action
Download your copy of our 16 days calendar here and join us for our daily reflections and calls to action via our social media channels:
3. Read and Share Stories of Activism
Read ACRATH’s 16 Days of stories about people and projects combating human trafficking here in Australia and globally. Access stories here.
4. Pray and Reflect
Join An Ecumenical Holding the Light Service remembering Victims and Survivors of Family Domestic Violence November 27th at 2:30pm St Peter’s Eastern Hill, 15 Gisborne Street, Melbourne or join online: https://css.org.au/events/holding-the-light-2/
Prayers of Intercession
Leader: Let us pray together that God’s justice and right will break forth in our time.
We pray for the Christian Communities around the world, for the strength, fortitude and vision of all their leaders and members in addressing the issues of human trafficking. Response: God of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
We pray for world leaders that they will confront human trafficking in all its forms, by dedicating their time, energy and resources to eradicating it. Response: God of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
We pray for those in bonded labour, in agricultural fields, mines and factories who have been reduced to tools for production and commodities rather than human beings. Response: God of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
We pray for women who are estimated to make up 80% of human trafficking victims and for changes in societal attitudes that deny the equality and dignity of women. Response: God of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
We pray for the development of impoverished nations so that their peoples may know a decent standard of living, have meaningful opportunities for education and employment and thus escape the desperate circumstances that make people vulnerable to human trafficking. Response: God of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
We pray that the demand for trafficked people will reduce. May men and women grow in appreciation of the dignity of every human person so that we can live in a world where no-one is enslaved. Response: Good of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
We pray for all who have died as a result of their exploitation and slavery. Response: God of compassion, let justice and right break forth.
Leader: Awaken our hearts and deepen our commitment to work for a world where all people are free and able to live with dignity and freedom. We ask for conversion of heart for traffickers and for strong laws to protect victims. Give us wisdom and courage so that together we will find ways to ensure Your freedom is the gift for all people. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Source: ACRATH (Prayers written by Claire Griffin csb based on US sisters’ reflection)
Anti-trafficking Reflection Service
This two-page anti-trafficking reflection services was prepared by Anne McPhee ibvm, based on a reflection by the late Carol Hogan sss. Please feel free to use all, or part of this reflection during the 16 Days campaign. Click here.
5. Use ACRATH Campaign Hashtags
Use one or all of our hashtags and remember to tag us in your posts for us to share your messaging.
#ACRATH #unite #activism #reflection #standwithus #16days #standup #eliminateviolence #humanrights #16daysagainstgenderbasedviolence
6. Consider a Donation to ACRATH
ACRATH needs funds to continue our work in advocating, educating and supporting the victims and survivors of human trafficking now and in the future to sustain our many programs.
This year with the help of our amazing donors, we have been able to:
Engage with senior members of the incoming Australian government to address five key advocacy issues. BREAKING NEWS - One of the advocacy asks has been granted and announced via the budget late October 2022 that the Government will establish a new unit within the Attorney-General’s Department to scope options to establish an Anti-Slavery Commissioner, proving our advocacy work is being heard!
Support 36 trafficked women and their 45 children within our Companionship program
Facilitate eight online training sessions for healthcare workers across Australia and Timor Leste to raise awareness of human trafficking and what healthcare workers can do to identify and safely refer potential victims/survivors. We have just heard that a healthcare worker trained recently by ACRATH recognised a trafficked woman and was able to safely and effectively refer her on for support.
Please consider a donation to help us continue our valuable work into the future. We depend on you to help us in this work against Human Trafficking and Slavery. https://acrath.org.au/support-acrath/support-acrath-donate/
We hope you can take the time to reflect, share and join our campaign to empower you to stand against gender-based violence.
If you would like any more information on how you can help, become a member, sign up for our newsletter or donate to ACRATH please contact Ange: networks@acrath.org.au