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16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Theme: “UNiTED to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls”

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign initiated in 1991 by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) and currently led globally by UN Women under the UNiTE Campaign.

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Running from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day), the campaign mobilizes individuals, organizations, governments, and communities to accelerate efforts toward ending violence against women and girls.

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The 2025 global theme, “UNiTED to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” emphasizes the rising prevalence of harassment, cyberstalking, hate speech, exploitation, and gendered disinformation — challenges intensified within mining communities due to weak digital literacy, limited regulation, and power imbalances.

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Across artisanal, small-scale, and industrial mining spaces in Africa, women and girls experience:

  • Workplace violence and harassment

  • Exploitation and coercion

  • Online hate and intimidation

  • Digital extortion and image-based abuse

  • Weak grievance mechanisms

  • Absence of digital protections

  • Cultural and structural barriers to justice

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WiM-Africa, with presence in 36 African countries, is strategically positioned to lead continental action to address these gaps through advocacy, policy influence, economic empowerment, and community-based interventions.

Woman with Safety Helmet

Alignment with WiM-Africa Action Plan (2025–2030)

This campaign directly aligns with WiM-Africa’s Strategic Focus Areas and Seven-Point Program Agenda (7PPA):

Strategic Focus Areas (SFs)

  • Advocacy & Policy Influence

  • Economic Empowerment

  • Coalition Building & Collaboration

Relevant Seven-Point Program Agenda (7PPA) Priorities

  • #3 – ESG & Climate Resilience for Women in Mining

  • #4 – Legal Support & Policy Advocacy

  • #5 – NextGen: Investing in Future Women Mining Leaders

  • #7 – Digital & Media Influence in Mining Advocacy

This concept note also integrates ongoing flagship programs:

  • Silent 15 of Bilalikoto

  • Project M-Safe

  • WiM-Africa Digital Safety Initiative

Continental Theme & Sub-Themes

Main Theme (UN Women Global):

“UNiTED to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.”

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WiM-Africa Sub-Themes (Pan-African):

  1. Violence-Free Mining Spaces

  2. Digital Safety for Women & Girls in ASM and Industrial Mining

  3. Men as Allies: Positive Masculinity in Mining Communities

  4. Strengthening GBV Reporting & Referral Mechanisms

  5. Youth Leadership for Safe Digital Environments

  6. Cultural and Sports Activism: “Show Violence the Red Card!”

  7. Digital Advocacy: Storytelling, Media, and Voice

Target Groups

  • Women miners (ASM & industrial)

  • Youth in mining regions

  • Digital users in mining communities

  • Men and boys

  • Mining cooperatives and unions

  • Traditional authorities

  • Community-based organizations & NGOs

  • Mining companies and industry leaders

  • Governments, DFIs, RECs, and regulatory agencies

  • Schools, universities, and TVET institutions

MULTI-COUNTRY DIGITAL CAMPAIGN

  • Launch continental hashtag:
    #ViolenceFreeMiningSpaces
    #EndDigitalViolence
    #WiMAfrica16Days

  • Publish daily content, testimonies, and digital safety tools.

  • Release short videos from women in mining across 36 countries.

Purpose of the WiM-Africa 2025 Campaign

The WiM-Africa 2025 16 Days of Activism campaign aims to:

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  1. Strengthen continental advocacy to end both online and offline violence against women in the mining sector.

  2. Promote digital safety and online protection for women and girls in mining communities.

  3. Mobilize men and youth as allies, supporting positive masculinity and shared responsibility.

  4. Build capacity of chapters, cooperatives, and community groups to identify, prevent, and respond to GBV.

  5. Support survivors through safe pathways, psychosocial support, and dignity-centered communication.

  6. Influence laws, policies, and workplace standards to ensure zero tolerance for violence in mining spaces.

  7. Amplify voices and stories from mining communities to reshape narratives and inspire change.

Proposed Continental Activities

1

MULTI-COUNTRY DIGITAL CAMPAIGN

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  • Launch continental hashtag:
    #ViolenceFreeMiningSpaces
    #EndDigitalViolence
    #WiMAfrica16Days

  • Publish daily content, testimonies, and digital safety tools.

  • Release short videos from women in mining across 36 countries.

2

NATIONAL CHAPTER ACTION 

Each chapter will implement:

  1. A minimum of one community outreach

  2. One digital safety workshop

  3. One youth-led media activation

  4. Submission of a national GBV pledge

3

COMMUNITY DIALOGUES & GBV AWARENESS

  • Multi-stakeholder dialogues in mining regions

  • Engagement with traditional leaders

  • Survivor-centered storytelling

  • Advocacy for safe workplaces and digital protections

4

MEN AS ALLIES PROGRAM 

  • Train male champions as GBV Prevention Ambassadors

  • Sports-based mobilization using the theme:
    “Let’s Show Violence the Red Card! In the Mining Space.”

  • In Collaboration with White Ribbon Namibia as partner

5

SILENT 15 OF BILALIKOTO (FEB 15) LINKAGE

Chapters will integrate:

  • Safety drills

  • Mine-site protocols

  • Digital safety education

5

NATIONAL & CONTINENTAL WEBINARS

  • Week 2: Continental Webinar
    “Men as Allies: Ending GBV in Mining Communities”

  • Week 3: Digital Safety Masterclass
    “Protecting Women in High-Risk Digital Environments.”

1

POLICY & ADVOCACY ENGAGEMENT

  • Engage DFIs, Ministries of Mines, Gender, ICT, & Labour

  • Promotion of:

    • codes of conduct

    • workplace harassment policies

    • digital protection frameworks

2

CLOSING CEREMONY (Dec 10)

Chapters and partners showcase:

  • Pledges

  • Commitments from men

  • Testimonies

  • Survivor stories

  • Community resolutions

  • National reports

3

Expected Outputs

  • 36 country-level GBV campaigns delivered

  • 50,000+ people reached digitally

  • 5,000+ individuals engaged physically

  • 500+ male allies trained continentwide

  • 100+ cooperatives adopt zero-tolerance GBV pledges

  • 36 country reports feeding a continental report

  • A continental declaration on Safe & Violence-Free Mining Spaces

  • Evidence and stories for the WiM-Africa Research & Data Hub

4

Monitoring & Reporting

  • All chapters and partners must submit:

  • Daily or weekly updates

  • Attendance lists

  • Photos & video clips

  • Digital engagement metrics

  • Stories/testimonies

  • A final report (5–10 pages) by 20 December 2025

5

Partners & Collaboration Opportunities

As may be communicated from the WiM-Africa Secretariat

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Call to Action

  • WiM-Africa calls on African governments, mining companies, community leaders, donors, and civil society to:

  • Stand with us as we build:

  • Safe mining workplaces

  • Respectful digital spaces

  • Stronger community accountability systems

  • Empowered women and girls

  • Engaged men and boys as champions of change

  • A violence-free mining sector is not only possible — it is necessary for Africa’s economic, social, and human development.

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