On the 25th of November in 1960, three Sisters from the Dominican Republic popularly known as the Mirabal Sisters (Patricia, Minerva, and Maria Teresa) were killed in the Las Mariposas assassination. They died at the hands of President Rafael Trujillo’s Secret Police after, they actively opposed the System of Ruling used by President Rafael of Cruelty and Systematic Violence.

Patricia, Minerva, and Maria Teresa even in their death were still activists of Human Rights and this was Symbolized by the date being declared International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in Latin America in 1990, and in 1991 it was recognized Globally.

25th November is the Commemoration of the International Day Against Violence Against Violence and 10th December is the Commemoration of the International Human Rights Day. Coincidentally, the 15 Days in between have Significant Memories especially for women as November 29 is International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, 1st December is World Aids Day, and December 6th is the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre that saw 6 Women killed in 1989 by Marc Lupine in his quest to fight feminism.

These dates were specifically chosen to link violence against women and human rights to emphasize that gender-based violence against women is a violation of human rights.

Every year, GBV MKUKI Coalition in collaboration with the Government, UN Agencies and CSOs selects a national theme aiming to influence actions on a particular topic relevant in that year. While the development of the theme for the 2024 campaign is underway, GBV MKUKI Coalition places a special emphasis on local activism, ensuring that the voices of our communities are not only heard but also actively engaged in finding solutions to break the cycle of violence against women and children.

The targets for this year's campaign encompass the general public, men and boys, women
and girls, social groups within local communities, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs),
International NGOs (INGOs), Private Sectors, Policymakers, and Development Partners. In
a specific way, our campaign seeks to inspire grassroots activism through simple yet effective community-led initiatives that can drive social change.
Additionally, the campaign is placing the young generation of women and girls, as well as men and boys, at the forefront of our efforts for societal transformation and advancement.

The goal of the 2024 campaign is to inspire every individual and institution to take
accountability and actively participate at both local and national levels. At the
community level, the campaign will empower local organizations to develop and implement their programs in commemoration of the campaign across different zones. We
anticipate that these activities will evolve into year-long initiatives aimed at putting an end to gender-based violence at the grassroots level.
On the national front, the campaign will establish forums and platforms that encourage collective critical thinking to promote actionable steps to end gender-based violence among duty-bearers and other stakeholders.

We will also engage the private sectors, to
garner their commitment to ending gender-based violence.

1. Change your profile picture or cover photo on social media to show your
   support for ending violence against women and girls.
2. Turn your background orange…or, Use orange font…or , Wear orange clothing.
3. Use the hashtag to support the 16 Days of activism campaign
4. Take a photo of yourself : Holding advocacy posters and share it online with
   the hashtag .You can also tag three friends or community members for them to
   do the same and your posts will be seen by a wider audience.
5. Join the Twibbonize and share the personalized posters of yourself, coworkers,
   and family members across your Whatsapp and other social media channels