UN Women India in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Delhi NCT, flagged off the Delhi Metro Campaign focused on cyber safety for women and girls from the Sultanpur Metro station in New Delhi. The flag off took place as part of the global 16 Days of Activism ‘End Violence Against Women NOW!”
Flagging off the campaign, Mr. Shombi Sharp, the UN Resident Coordinator in India highlighted the importance of generating awareness on preventing gender-based violence, including cyber safety for women and girls, which has seen a sharp rise globally and in India during the pandemic. Mr. Sharp noted, “this is not only a matter of human rights and justice, as women and girls are also the key to driving India’s upcoming demographic transition and resilient recovery from the pandemic. Women’s full participation in India’s billion-strong workforce and their well-being hinge on our collective commitment to ensuring safe spaces for all women and girls – at home, in workplaces, in public transit and in cyberspace. Through this important collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Delhi NCT, and supported by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, we believe we can help mobilize support among the millions of daily metro riders, women and men, boys and girls, and make a difference because Mamla Urgent Hai!”
The metro train messaging is to reach the diverse ridership of Delhi Metro, particularly women and girls, and men and boys with messages on safe cyber practices, prevention of cyber violence against women and girls and information on government helpline numbers and websites.
Ms. Rashmi Singh (IAS), Special Secretary cum Director, DWCD, said, “We do realize the important role of behavior change communication through appropriate messaging to break gender stereotypes and enhance women and girls’ safety as well as perceptions of safety. Hence behavior change campaigns like this one are needed, they are also important in gaining partnership of various stakeholders. We value such a collaboration.”
Ms. Kanta Singh, Officer-in-charge, UN Women India reiterated that “The aim of UN Women’s collaborations have always been to strengthen its commitments towards the holistic empowerment of girls and women by reducing gender inequality and gender-based violence.”
The integrated #MamlaUrgentHai campaign will ran on UN Women’s social platforms throughout the month of December 2021. The intended outcome of the campaign is to alert people to take women’s issues seriously and raise a voice to end violence against women and girls.
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About 16 Days of Activism: The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign which takes place each year. It commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. It was originated by activists at the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and is coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. In support of this civil society initiative, under the leadership of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign (UNiTE) calls for global action to increase awareness, galvanise advocacy efforts and share of knowledge and innovations.
In recent years, the UNiTE campaign has utilized the colour orange to represent a brighter future, free from violence against women and girls, as a unifying theme running through its global activities. This year’s theme is ‘Orange the World: END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN NOW!’, and as in previous years, the colour orange is used to draw global attention to the issue, while the hashtag is encouraged to amplify the message of survivors and activists and to put them at the centre of the conversation and response. The theme also aims to broaden the global conversation and highlight the voices and activism of all survivors of violence and advocates around the world. Violence against women is rooted in a complex set of patriarchal beliefs, power, and control that continue to create a social environment in which sexual violence is pervasive and normalized.
About UN Women: Women is the UN organisation dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide.
Media Contact
Zoya Khanday, Communications Assistant, zoya.khanday@unwomen.org
