16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Grassroots Initiative
About the 16 Days of Activism
The United Nation’s international campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, takes place each year from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until 10 December (International Human Rights Day).
The campaign began in 1991 as a strategy to unite and magnify calls for the elimination of violence against women and girls. Each year, the 16 Days of Activism campaign galvanises movements and organisations working around the world, and draws the attention of governments to the critical issue of gender-based violence.
Head to the UN Women website to read more about the 16 Days of Activism.
Safe and Equal campaign
Each year Safe and Equal runs our own campaign to align with the 16 Days of Activism. In 2025, Safe and Equal’s 16 Days of Activism campaign focused on the theme Changemakers; celebrating the achievements and contributions of both individuals and organisations working to end gender-based violence. The campaign spotlighted the incredible advocacy and prevention work happening across Victoria and demonstrated the collective power and momentum of the sector. Read more about the Changemakers (2025) campaign here.
We will be sharing more about our 2026 16 Days of Activism theme soon.
16 Days of Activism Grassroots Initiative
Each year, organisations across Victoria produce their own impactful campaigns for the 16 Days of Activism. To support the delivery of these campaigns and promote collaboration between participating organisations, in 2019 Respect Victoria introduced the 16 Days of Activism Grassroots Initiative.
Safe and Equal is continuing our collaboration with Respect Victoria for the 16 Days of Activism Grassroots Initiative in 2026, this year delivering the grants program in partnership with the Municipal Association of Victoria. To build on momentum from previous campaigns and following positive reception for campaign messaging, the theme of “Respect Is…” will continue to be used this year.
Safe and Equal is hosting a range of capacity-building activities for funded organisations plus anyone else interested in getting involved in the campaign. These include:
- A series of online regional campaign convenings to support local collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Regular bulletins
- 16 Days helpdesk for targeted advice
- Online resources to help you create your campaign
- Events calendar to connect campaigns happening across the regions
How to get involved
You can help generate conversations about gender equality, respect and preventing gender-based violence by organising events and activities during the 16 Days. Some ideas could include:
- Hosting a webinar or virtual panel discussion
- Joining the Walk Against Family Violence held in Melbourne or participating in a locally organised walk in your community
- Developing artwork or online art exhibitions with local artists
- Customising the, social media campaign designed by Respect Victoria to draw on the strengths of your community, or design your own
- Working with multicultural communities to translate your own resources or to disseminate 16 Days posters, social media tiles or other assets in language
- Creating videos or podcasts that discuss the issues of gender equality and gender-based violence
- Delivering online or in-person training sessions around equality and respect
- Organise a book club or StoryTime in collaboration with your local library
- Organising street art, banners, posters and lighting up buildings in orange
Upcoming events
Community events
Add your organisation’s campaign events to our Community Calendar here.
Campaign support
The 2026 Grassroots Initiative will kick off with a series of online campaign convenings held in each of the Women’s Health Regional Primary Prevention Partnership catchment areas across Melbourne and Victoria. We will also hold one statewide session online. These sessions will promote conversations about local collaboration and sharing learnings from past campaigns.
Over the next few months, activities will support organisations to stay up to date on what is happening with the campaign, to connect with fellow campaigners, and to practice values-based messaging in their work.
Resources to
support you
The following resources are available from a range of organisations in Victoria, working in primary prevention and family violence that may support organisations in their campaigns around the 16 Days of Activism.
For additional tools and guidance, we encourage you to explore Respect Victoria’s 16 Days of Activism Toolkit, which includes a range of helpful campaign resources.
Safe and Equal – PreventX: Messaging for a Movement Tips and insights for messaging and advocacy to address the drivers of family and gender-based violence
Safe and Equal – Resources to support your Values-Based Messaging from PreventX 2024
Safe and Equal – Overcoming Resistance and Backlash – a Guide for Primary Prevention Practitioners
Common Cause Australia – Framing Gender Equality messaging guide
VicHealth – Framing Masculinity – Message guide (PDF – 267KB)
GenWest – Consent, Empowerment and Respect Campaign
Women’s Health Victoria – Gender equality in advertising and communications: guidelines for local government
Southern Melbourne Primary Care Partnership – Framing age message guide
Together for Equality and Respect – 16 Days Social Media Toolkit
Women’s Health in the North – Social media tiles in community languages (Arabic, Greek, Tamil and Urdu)
Safe and Equal – Planning Best Practice Engagements with Survivor Advocates Checklist
Safe and Equal – How to Use Statistics in Primary Prevention
GenVic – Online Active Bystander Project toolkit and videos
VicHealth – Take Action: Empowering bystanders to act on sexist and sexually harassing behaviours
GenVic – Responding to Harassment on Social Media
GenVic – Together We’re Stronger
Djirra – Marli’s Story: Trust your Gut
Djirra – Deadly Duos
Women’s Health Goulburn North East – Bystander Action eLearn
Safe and Equal – Animation Driving Change: Taking action against the drivers of family and gender-based violence
Safe and Equal – Overcoming Resistance and Backlash
Women’s Health Loddon Mallee – 16 Days of Activism Toolkit 2025 (whlm.org.au)
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria, Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health and InTouch Multicultural Centre against Family Violence – Multilingual resources promoting respect within migrant and refugee communities
Women’s Health in the South East – 16 Days of Activism Social Media Toolkit
Women’s Health in the North – 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence social media tiles
Our Watch – Changing the Landscape
The Line – https://www.theline.org.au/
Preventing violence starts with all of us. Every conversation and action we take now has an impact. When we centre hope as a practical component of our advocacy, we can all contribute to a community where everyone lives free from gender-based violence.
Tania Farha
CEO, Safe and Equal
Campaign spotlights
Across metropolitan and regional Victoria, a wide range of councils and community organisations are participating in this year's 16 Days campaign.
Below are some examples of innovative and inspired activities that organisations have delivered for the 16 Days in previous years. You can read about their campaigns to help inspire and give you ideas for what your organisation might deliver in 2026.
If you have a 2025 campaign story to share, please email 16Days@safeandequal.org.au.
The Silver Threads and Golden Needles project will be running a craft workshop for older women to explore the topic of gendered ageism, and how we can prevent it.
WHIN’s 16 Days 2023 campaign focused on engaging refugee and migrant communities through a tailored approach to gender-based violence prevention.
The City of Monash carried out a diverse series of activities during the 16 Days of Activism 2023, that effectively raised awareness and promoted action on gender equality and resilience across the community and staff.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council, in partnership with local organisations, delivered a series of initiatives that engaged the community in conversations about gender equality and inclusion, highlighting the importance of collective action in preventing violence.