Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

Scotland - In response to the low conviction rate for rape (2.9%), and the well
documented humiliation experienced by female victims in court, Rape Crisis Scotland
started a campaign in 2008 with the theme of challenging prejudicial public attitudes that
women ‘ask for it’ in certain circumstances – if they dress in a way considered
‘provocative’, if they drink, or if they are intimate in any way with their attacker before
being assaulted. The campaign called ‘This is not an invitation to rape me’ produced a
variety of publicity materials including posters, postcards and a downloadable briefing
pack for activists and individuals interested in learning more about the campaign issue.
Afghanistan – The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)
celebrated 2007’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with
a campaign called “Don’t destroy the future of your children by forced marriages.” The
day was celebrated through conferences, meetings, gatherings and media broadcasts.
Messages from the Chief of Justice, Speaker of the Parliament, Attorney General, Chief
of Peace and Stability Commission and people from the general public condemning
forced marriages were broadcast by the national and private television channels in
Kabul. Billboards with messages on forced marriages were printed and installed in five
main squares of Kabul, conveying messages on forced and underage marriages.
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1.3 WHY ARE CAMPAIGNS NEEDED TO END VAW?
Campaigns over the past decades have contributed significantly to heightening
awareness of VAW as a violation of human rights that affects society as a whole. They
have helped to rally support for and influence change in international and national
legislative and policy frameworks. In spite of such progress, however, violence against
women and girls is still rampant in all parts of the world. A continuous, protracted
effort throughout society and across disciplines is needed to effectively address the
causes of VAW, which are rooted deep in social attitudes and practice.
Campaigns are an appropriate tool in this endeavor, because they can:
� Make VAW a public issue, and highlight the fact that it is a public concern that
affects all segments of society.
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Campaigns December 2011