Reacting and rebuilding after violence

Gender-based violence is often minimased and remains a taboo topic. As a partner in the national "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence" campaign, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) invites the entire community to reflect on this critical issue and work towards raising awareness and prevention for a society free from violence.

In Article 1 of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the UN defines it as "any act of gender-based violence that causes, or is likely to cause, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life". The World Health Organisation (WHO) also recognises gender-based violence as one of the main risk factors for premature death for women, thus representing a serious human rights and public health problem.

In recent years, data show that gender-based violence remains a widespread problem. The WHO states that, worldwide, about 1 in 3 women (30%) have been victims of physical and/or sexual violence during their lifetime. In Switzerland, almost 20,000 crimes of domestic violence were reported in 2023. By signing the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty of the Council of Europe that protects women and girls from various forms of violence, Switzerland recognises gender-based and domestic violence as a violation of human rights and commits itself to combating and preventing these forms of violence.

It is precisely in the context of prevention that the national campaign of the "16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence" takes place every year from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day). The campaign promotes events, initiatives and awareness-raising actions to combat gender-based violence, supporting a broad social dialogue and inviting citizens to 'react and rebuild after violence' by actively engaging. "React and rebuild after violence" is the common thread of the 2024 campaign. From 25 November until 10 December 2024, actions will be proposed nationwide to make visible ways out for victims of violence, encouraging society to support processes of healing and reorganisation of life after traumatic experiences and to recognise and value individual and collective possibilities to react and respond to gender-based violence.

As a partner of the "16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence" campaign, USI invites the university community to actively participate in the initiatives and reflect on raising awareness and prevention for a violence-free society in which all forms of abuse are firmly rejected. USI is also hosting the event "Reacting and rebuilding after violence" supported by the Equal Opportunities Service and USI in ascolto, on Thursday 21 November 2024 from 14:00 to 18:30 in the Aula Magna, Campus Ovest, Lugano. 

For more details on the event click here. For more information on the campaign click here.