Overview:

As part of the 16 Days Campaign to combat gender-based violence, Equity and Empowerment organization held a session for women in the organization’s center in Kafrtakharim, focusing on digital violence and protection methods. A similar session was held with women in the Al-Auja camp, where they were asked about the types of violence they face, their stories, and the reasons behind the violence. Some of the responses were:

• Due to financial hardships and difficult circumstances, some men become violent, frequently shouting, insulting, and sometimes divorcing, yet wives stay for the sake of their children.
• Women work in the fields harvesting crops for low wages (20 Turkish Liras) and long hours, about 11 hours a day, which applies to both men and women.
• One woman works from 7 AM to 6 PM, then returns home to bake and cook, while her unemployed husband waits for her on the road, avoiding responsibility with weak excuses.
• An elderly woman shared: “I went to work in the fields once, but after two hours my health deteriorated, so they rented a car to take me to the hospital. Instead of earning wages, I ended up borrowing 50 Turkish Liras to cover the car fare to repay the landowner.”
• “My daughter has been working in the fields harvesting crops since she was 13, and there are many like her.”
• Girls and women in the camp do not get fair opportunities to continue their education. Most leave school by the fifth grade due to the lack of nearby educational institutions. Families are not against it, but they fear for the safety of the girls during travel. As a result, boys are sent instead, since they are believed to be more capable of handling the situation.
• When women face psychological pressure within their families, they can only turn to neighbors to vent, and the common response is to bear it for the sake of the children.
• “My sister’s husband doesn’t allow her to take birth control pills because he wants more children, even though she’s told him she’s exhausted and doesn’t want more.”
• There is often disbelief when women report harassment or sexual exploitation. Instead, the perpetrator is justified, and rumors or personal interpretations are spread about the woman, causing further harm and stigmatization.
• Women are sometimes tricked into cyber exploitation due to their lack of knowledge about social media, such as clicking suspicious links or being asked to open their mobile camera for a video call under false pretenses. One woman noted that a teacher once requested a video call to verify their identity, but she found no valid reason for the call and advised her friends to be cautious.

These are some of the experiences and stories of women in the context of gender-based violence in its various forms. Equity and Empowerment stress that the first step toward eliminating this violence is encouraging women to raise their voices, using women’s bodies and organizations to amplify their voices, support feminist institutions, and strengthen their work.

Campaign Story:

The 16 Days Campaign against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until December 10, Human Rights Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness about gender-based violence and strengthen global efforts to eliminate it. It includes awareness activities and community initiatives focused on empowering women and girls and providing support to survivors of violence.

Historical Background:

On November 25, 1960, the three Mirabal sisters—Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa—were killed by the police in the Dominican Republic. These political activists opposed the brutal, systematic violence of the country’s dictator. The Mirabal sisters became symbols of feminist resistance. In 1980, the UN declared November 25 a day to end violence against women in Latin America. The UN officially recognized this International Day in 1999.

Statistics:

UN statistics show that 40% of women worldwide have experienced gender-based violence at some point in their lives, with this percentage increasing during times of crisis. Furthermore, over two-thirds of women who experience violence are unable to access help.

Steps Toward Ending Gender-Based Violence:

The first step toward eliminating gender-based violence is encouraging women to speak up, working through women’s organizations to amplify their voices, and supporting feminist institutions to enhance their work.

Empowering women through training, campaigns, and raising awareness about the different forms of violence and their severe impacts on women is a crucial part of this effort.