16 Days of Activism: Back our urgent new appeal
Each year, the global 16 Days of Activism campaign unites organisations and individuals around the world who are working to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
This year, to mark the 30th anniversary of the campaign, the Lotus Flower desperately needs your help. As you may be aware, Covid-19 has sparked rising cases of violence and sexual assault against women, and even widespread loss of life. This has been especially evident amongst vulnerable refugees and IDP populations, where lockdowns have left many women and girls unable to shield themselves from their abusers, as well as cut adrift from essential support mechanisms.
With your support, we are looking to raise as much as we can over the course of 16 Days of Activism. Money donated to our cause will help fund our work in preventing and eradicating the devastating tide of violence and discrimination faced by women and girls on a daily basis.
Reducing and stopping gender-based violence lies at the heart of all we do, filtering into every single project and awareness programme. But while displaced women and girls have been suffering what the UN calls a ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence, the amount of help available to victims has been decimated. As we have found, many donors have cancelled agreed funding commitments, resulting in a critical shortfall of specialist services, mental health support and case referrals for survivors.
The lack of funds and resources also threatens our survival as a charity. This is why we are calling on you today to donate whatever you can to help us. Even a few pounds will help secure our projects and programmes into next year and beyond.
Ever since its inception in 1991, 16 Days of Activism begins each year on 25 November, on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The campaign runs until 10 December, which is formally known as Human Rights Day.
This campaign is hugely important for us. We rarely reach out in such a direct way for financial support, but as an organisation we need to do more to counter the effects of repeated lockdowns, curfews and job losses – all of which have impacted most severely on women and girls. Recent reports in Iraq have shown an alarming increase in GBV cases during the pandemic, in particular of domestic violence. And given that Iraqi women and children - especially those with disabilities - were already at significant risk of violence pre-pandemic, these figures are the mere tip of the iceberg.
To help us make a difference, please donate whatever you can using the button below and share this post with friends and loved ones.