MGA: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

On November 25, the UN Commemorated the International Day of Eliminating Violence against Women.  This day marks the beginning of the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence which takes place every year beginning on November 25 and ending on December 10, Human Rights Day. To participate in MIA Global Action’s advocacy for these days, join us on twitter at @MIAGlobalAction.

These 16 days call for an end to violence against women and girls. In last week’s e-news, we raised the issue of violence against women during this time of Pandemic and encouraged readers to take up some of the actions outlined in in MGA’s recent publication ‘Hope in A Time of Pandemic’.  The focus of this week’s contribution is to recognise violence against women in the form of Human Trafficking. As stated the pandemic has exacerbated and brought to the forefront the systemic and deeply entrenched economic and societal inequalities that are among the root causes of human trafficking. Human Traffickers prey on those who are experiencing  vulnerabilities , such as insecure housing, unemployment, displacement, domestic and family violence to name a few. For many who experience human trafficking, it is not a random act of exploitation, but rather an experience of further discrimination and victimisation.

Many NGO’s have reported an increase in domestic violence during this time of pandemic and are concerned about the rights of workers within the informal economy, especially domestic workers who find themselves in even more precarious circumstances now. The risk of debt bondage is even further escalated by loan sharks who promise low interest loans at a time when people are desperate for some form of income.  Traffickers can operate with virtual impunity, since much of their activity is hidden from the public domain.

This means a vulnerable population has now become even more exposed to the risk of severe exploitation as they try to identify means to secure their livelihoods.

Children experiencing marginalisation are also considered to be at further risk of human trafficking. School closures to prevent the spread of infection, have further isolated and precluded some children from community connectedness and safety. This is of great concern in developing countries, particularly in the rural areas, whereby isolation can already be a struggle. Concerns of online sexual exploitation have also been raised by the international NGO community, given the increased use of information technology.

MGA’s infographic on human trafficking seeks to highlight key issues and opportunities for action in relation to human trafficking.

Please share MGA’s infographic through your own networks and continue to follow the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Messages to: Siobhan Golden - MGA Intern