Medical Women's International Association President, Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, Speaks on 2022 - 16 days of activism against gender-based violence

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I bring you greetings from the Medical Women's International Association (MWIA), an association of medical women  representing women doctors from all six continents and eight regions. 

Founded in 1919, MWIA is one of the oldest professional international bodies and is non-sectarian and non-profit making. 

Today, Friday 25th November 2022, marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. The campaign will end on 10th December 2022. As we mark the 16 days, we must bring to light the plight of women experiencing one form of violence or the other.

These include  rape, sex trafficking, forced  and early marriage, harmful widowhood practices ,sex for food, money, and jobs. These are made worse by  humanitarian crises from the war in Ukraine, and the devastating floods in Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Chad and South Sudan and other countries as well as the impact of the pandemic.

MWIA through its Special Interest Group on Violence Against Women and Girls will in this triennium create awareness on the various international and regional instruments that can be used to guide efforts in rolling back the occurence of gender-based violence. Some of these instruments are:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

• Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

• Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA)

• Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Instanbul Convention)

• Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (Belem Do Para Convention)

• Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol)

Special attention will be given to addressing gender-based violence in women and girls especially vulnerable groups like  people with disabilities, socio-economically disadvantaged, those affected by armed conflict and child widows. 

In a bid to deliver on the MWIA triennial theme which is "One Humanity: Health Solutions through our Partnerships", MWIA will seek close collaboration with Every Woman Treaty to support the advocacy of a Global Treaty to end Violence Against Women and Girls. 

I hereby appeal to all national associations  and individual member of MWIA to join in marking this campaign and to share their activities on the MWIA social media handles. 

 I wish everyone a very impactful 16 days of activism against gender-based violence against Women and girls

Warmly,

* Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, President, Medical Women’s International Association