A New Global Initiative to Combat Gender-Based Violence
As the global 16 Days of Activism campaign continues, international leaders and experts on Tuesday, December 2, officially launched the global initiative "ALL IN" in London.
The initiative aims to shift the global fight against gender-based violence from temporary responses to sustained political commitment and long-term funding solutions.
Sima Samar, a leading Afghan human rights advocate, addressed the summit on behalf of women in Afghanistan. Samar described the escalating restrictions and violence against Afghan women in recent years as a stark global outlier and warned that despite enduring some of the harshest conditions faced by women anywhere in the world, international support for their fight is steadily diminishing.
She expressed concern over the decline in global financial support for Afghan women’s rights efforts, saying that without adequate backing, the long-term sustainability of the movement will continue to face serious challenges.
"ALL IN" is co-led by the Ford Foundation, the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, with the Equality Institute serving as the initiative’s secretariat.
The launch event convened high-profile political figures, women’s rights defenders, survivors, and specialized experts in health and justice, stressing a central point: gender-based violence is preventable, but ending it requires collective, long-term leadership and sustainable resourcing.
Experts also underscored the broad economic, social and human impact of gender-based violence worldwide. Estimates suggest that more than one billion women and girls globally have experienced gender-based violence at least once in their lives, and an average of 140 women or girls are killed every day by an intimate partner or a family member.
The “16 Days of Activism” campaign is a global movement aimed at raising awareness and ending gender-based violence against women and girls. Held annually from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day), the campaign brings together countries, civil society organizations, and activists. This year’s theme, “United to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” emphasizes the urgent need to combat online harassment and discrimination.
The Rights Monitor Media will cover the campaign by sharing news, reports, personal stories, and reflections from Afghan women and girls, highlighting their experiences with violence and restrictions
