The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women marks the beginning of an annual campaign, which is 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, starting on November 25, and ending on December 10, which is the day on which International Human Rights Day is celebrated.

This year's 2023 campaign calls for investment to prevent violence against women and girls.

HUMAN ACCESS participates in this campaign annually through a wide range of important and purposeful activities, believing in the necessity of eliminating violence against women. Violence against women is one of the most prevalent, persisting, and devastating human rights violations currently occurring, and it seriously hinders the participation of women and girls in society as a whole.

Within the protection and livelihood support project, “Safe Space for Women and Girls,” and in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), HUMAN ACCESS in the governorates of Hadhramaut, Al-Mahra and Marib launched the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence to raise awareness of the violence against women issue and the need to confront it.

A celebration was organized on this occasion in Mukalla city under the auspices of the local authority and in cooperation with the Yemeni Women’s Union.

During the celebration, Ahmed Sharaf, Program Coordinator at the UNFPA’s Office in Hadhramaut, spoke about the role of partners, including HUMAN ACCESS, in protecting and empowering women through various programs and activities.

The safe space for women and girls in Seiyun city in Wadi Hadhramaut organized a radio interview with Seiyun Radio to inform the public about the importance of this annual campaign and to ensure the protection of women from these devastating scourges.

For its part, the safe space in Al-Ghaydah city in Al-Mahra held a workshop for humanitarian partners under the slogan “What is your role to protect women and provide for their needs?”

In Marib, HUMAN ACCESS organized an artistic and speech ceremony in the presence of local officials and representatives of humanitarian organizations, including the Deputy Director of the Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons’ Camps (ExU), Dr. Khaled A l-Shajni, Fatima Shaqla, Head of the Protection Department at the ExU, and Ghamdan Al-Qadi, Coordinator of the UNFPA gender-based violence sub-cluster in the governorate.

The safe space in Al-Rawda area and Al-Mil camps also organized a radio interview as part of ongoing efforts to spread community awareness of women’s rights legally guaranteed, shed light on multiple forms of violence, and emphasize the need to invest in preventing gender-based violence.

Awareness campaigns like these help raise the level of understanding between all people, communities, and nations, as the advancement of women's rights and empowerment benefits everyone.