The Philippine Embassy in Bangladesh on Friday organized a fun run titled “HuwaRUN: A fun run in support of the campaign to end violence against women" in Baridhara, Dhaka. The event was hosted in line with the global 16-day campaign against gender-based violence and in support of the Philippine government’s goal to protect the rights of women and girls. HuwaRUN is a play on the Filipino word “huwaran” which means role model and “run”. The multi-year campaign, which starts on November 25 and lasts until December 10 every year since 1991, aims to raise awareness on and calls for action for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. In 2008, this was supplemented by the UN Secretary General’s campaign, UNiTE by 2030 to end violence against women. The three-km route featured banners that highlight milestones that the Philippines has made in advancing the rights of women and the advocacy to end violence against women. Read more: Dhaka seeks pro-active support from Manila, ASEAN for early repatriation of Rohingyas These include joining the Global 16-Day Campaign, the enactment of the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act” in 2004, and expansion of the global campaign to 18 days until December 12, the date when the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, was signed in 2000, among others.

Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, The Zonta International, a globally acclaimed service organisation, has launched its ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign on Friday against gender-based violence. Starting from November 25, the campaign will feature several events and activities on eradicating violence against women and girls in society and advancing women's rights, continuing till December 10, the International Human Rights Day. Six Zonta Clubs in Dhaka and Chattogram organised a rally at the Gulshan Society Lake Park in the capital on Friday afternoon to kick off the activism programmes, which was joined by the distinguished and eminent Zontians to celebrate their unity against gender-based violence.

To mitigate and reduce the risks of Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Cox’s Bazar, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) inaugurated (02/03) its first Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) for host communities on Tuesday.

 

Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine has called for collective voice and actions at all levels possible to help bring about positive change ending gender-based violence globally.

UN and regional experts on violence against women and women's rights have called on all States to seize the opportunity to ‘build back better’ by reinforcing and expanding efforts they have already made to promote and protect the rights of women in all spheres of life.

UN Women, the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, is working in partnership with the government of Tanzania in the fight against gender-based violence, a senior official said on Sunday.