Letter: Be a part of #GirlsToo with 16 Days of Activism towards Gender-Based mostly Violence

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Women Inc. of Northern Alberta is dedicated to stopping gender-based violence and advocating for gender equality as a result of we all know that every one ladies can expertise violence and inequality.

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As a voice for the 16 Days of Activism towards Gender-Based mostly Violence from November 25 to December 10, 2021, I’m writing to assist urge the neighborhood to study and act on stopping and addressing gender-based violence – individually and collectively, thereby looking for illustration of #GirlsToo.

The 16 Days of Activism towards Gender-Based mostly Violence is an annual international name to motion to finish gender-based violence – any type of hurt towards individuals based mostly on their gender id, how they categorical themselves or current stereotypes.

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Whereas gender-based violence impacts anybody, some expertise it extra steadily and in additional distinct methods than others – significantly ladies and gender-diverse youth. Notably, the magnitude of their expertise varies relying on how intricately gender id, gender expression or perceived gender overlap and intertwine with various factors contributing to the sense of security.

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These embody however will not be restricted to race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, dwelling circumstances, well being, mobility, accessibilities, exceptionalities, faith, citizenship, historical past and extra.

Women Inc. of Northern Alberta is aware of that there are distinctive layers of current and newly rising gendered limitations, challenges, and vulnerabilities that ladies significantly undergo.

We additionally know that every lady experiences these limitations otherwise relying on how and the place you might be located in varied areas – dwelling, college, neighborhood, domestic-international, media, on-line and so on.

And these have been exacerbated by means of violence and inequality heightened by the COVID19 induced changes, flooding, and financial downturn over the previous two years.

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Our #GirlsToo program tackles this advanced problem head-on. Constructing on #MeToo, #GirlsToo is a motion in and of itself. It calls out that #MeToo is not only an 18+ motion. Respect begins younger. Actions begin younger. Adjustments begin younger.

This program gives age-appropriate training by way of in-school programming and after-school workshops to equip contributors with abilities and information to acknowledge, stop and tackle gender-based violence of assorted kinds and ranges.

Contributors will study consent, wholesome relationships, gendered challenges, and what to do when/in the event that they face gender-based violence. They may discover ways to be a part of an answer. It additional facilitates alternatives for contributors to study self-defense methods whereas serving to to construct their self-confidence.

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By means of arts-based advocacy and sincere dialogue in a secure area, they’ll discover ways to advocate for a cultural shift in direction of therapeutic, empowerment, supporting survivors, breaking the silence, and finally, ending gender-based violence – individually and collectively.

For this 12 months’s 16 Days of Activism towards Gender Based mostly Violence marketing campaign, Women Inc. of Northern Alberta is partaking youth, native eating places, and social media to amplify the #GirlsToo motion.

  • With youth, there can be a collection of 4 workshops for women ages 10+ on 1) ladies’ and girls’s rights in Canada by means of the Conference on the Elimination of all Types of Discrimination Towards Girls, 2) the function of media in gender-based violence, 3) what an ally appears to be like like by unpacking Islamophobia and racism, and 4) tips on how to break the cycle of gender-based violence whereas supporting survivors.
  • With native eating places, #GirlsToo themed napkins and postcards can be distributed in order that the neighborhood can begin paying extra consideration to what 16 Days of Activism towards Gender-Based mostly Violence is all about and the way one may very well be an advocate for #GirlsToo motion. Largest thank-you to the collaborating eating places for partnering with us: Avenue Espresso, Boston Pizza (Downtown and Timberlea), Mr. Mikes, Stacs, Surekha’s on the Snye and 57 North Kitchen and Brewery.
  • On social media, we’re calling for nominations for somebody taking actions to create a cultural shift in direction of supporting survivors and breaking the silence. Prizes to be gained.

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As talked about earlier, gender-based violence impacts anybody. Feeling like you might be caught, feeling like you might be silenced, feeling like you might be conditioned to fulfill sure self- and societal-expectations… these emotions could also be skilled equally. It’s the magnitude or the method these emotions skilled that will differ relying on the place and the way one is situated at given intersections.

It’s our hope that #GirlsToo requires actions from everybody to create modifications by studying how inequality and violence are at work in our neighborhood and the world, how every individual experiences intersecting limitations and violence of assorted kinds otherwise and the way we as human beings can strengthen resiliency to gender-based violence.

Replicate. Act. Help those that come ahead and share their struggles with you. Hearken to totally different voices. Begin questioning what ‘being secure’ and ‘peace’ may appear like. Do what you may. Take optimistic dangers. Name out if you encounter gender-based violence of any kind. And most significantly, voice to interrupt the silence collectively. Be a part of the #GirlsToo dialogue right now.

How will you act for the 16 Days of Activism towards Gender-Based mostly Violence this 12 months?

Nanase Tonda, govt director of Women Inc. of Northern Alberta

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Be a part of the Dialog

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