#NoExcuse: Stand with women on temporary visas during these 16 Days of Activism
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign that unites people, organisations, and communities to advocate for the elimination of violence against women and girls.
This powerful initiative begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and concludes on 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
This year’s global theme, #NoExcuse, challenges all of us to address the root causes of violence, remember that there is no justification for harm against women and girls, and participate in dismantling systems of power and privilege that perpetuate inequality and harm.
UN Women’s 16 Days of Activism campaign page is a great resource for information, action toolkits, and campaign materials to help communities stand up against gender-based violence. We encourage you to explore the resources available here and join the global movement for change.
Call on Government: No Women Left Behind
During these 16 days, JRS Australia will be standing in solidarity with survivors and calling for immediate action from our state and federal governments to make sure that no women are left behind in their ambitious plans to end gender based violence within a generation.
“All women who have been subjected to violence on our shores and on our watch ought to have the same rights and same access to safety and justice, recovery and healing, regardless of their visa status, ” JRS Australia’s Acting Country Director Josephine Rechichi shared.
Right now, however, women on temporary visas, including those seeking asylum, face insurmountable barriers to safety and justice – because policies are failing them. They are unfairly excluded from shelters, refuges and from social welfare supports, and emergency financial assistance is limited.
JRS Australia’s Finding Safety Project works tirelessly to end this discrimination and see better outcomes for women and girls on temporary visas who have experienced violence in Australia. Learn more about this work below.
Finding Safety Project
JRS Australia’s Finding Safety Project is proud to participate in the 16 Days of Activism every year, to uplift the voices of the women we serve, educate the community about challenges faced by women on temporary visas, and encourage everyone to become an advocate against gender-based violence.
Operating out of our Women’s Space, the Finding Safety Project supports women on temporary visas who have experienced gender-based violence. We offer specialised and complex SGBV casework, community and wellbeing programs, as well as practical assistance with access to funding for emergency accomodation, education, medical care and mental health support.
The women we serve and accompany in the Finding Safety Project are strong. They are resilient and they resist violence and oppression through their own unique journeys, and we are privileged to be able to help women uncover their strength and reclaim their dignity. We want you to be a part of this journey!
Join us during these 16 Days of Activism!
Over the next 16 Days, please follow us on social media to learn more about the Finding Safety Project, hear directly from the women we serve, and find out how you can be an ally and advocate for women who have experienced violence.
Get involved, and participate in our advocacy campaigns on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn! #16DaysofActivism #NoExcuse
We will also be participating in a number of events during this period:
Strategies to Collaborate with Religious Leaders to Address Domestic and Family Violence Forum
Our Finding Safety Project Manager Sara Muzamil will be attending this Forum on Thursday 21 November, which is being held at the Holroyd Centre to mark the 16 Days of Activism. We will aim to share some reflections from this event with you on the day!
16 Days March to End Gender-Based Violence
Please join us alongside Cumberland Council to march from Merrylands Park to Civic Square on Thursday 28 November 2024. We will walk together in solidarity, provide a safe space for women to raise their voices, and let everyone know that there is #NoExcuse for gender-based violence. The event will also features speeches, music, and a community sausage sizzle.
“Shelter Her Strength” Leadership Forum
On Thursday 5 December 2024, our Acting Country Director Josephine Rechichi will speak at Parramatta Council’s Leadership Forum on Women’s Housing and Safety. Please join us to discuss the future of service delivery and funding for prevention of domestic violence, sexual assault and housing for women on temporary visas. RSVP here.
16 Days, 16 Stories
We mark the 16 Days of Activism each year, and last year in 2023 we ran a special campaign sharing 16 stories from women who have participated in our Finding Safety Project. These stories are powerful reflections of the injustices women on temporary visas face, the resilience and strength they show, and the importance of our Women’s Space as a safe place for women who often have nowhere else to go.
Read their stories here, and consider amplifying the voices of women on temporary visas during these 16 Days of Activism and beyond!
