Closing of the International Campaign "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence against Women and Girls" in Sidi Bou Saïd
The closing of the international campaign "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence against Women and Girls" in Sidi Bou Saïd brought together diplomats and UN officials to acknowledge the progress made against violence, particularly digital violence, and to strengthen collective commitment to the rights of women and girls.
The annual global campaign "16 Days of Activism" ended on Wednesday, December 10, in the charming town of Sidi Bou Saïd, in the northern suburbs of Tunis, in the presence of ambassadors and officials from UN agencies, including Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women. Under the banner "United against Digital Violence against Women and Girls," this closing event presented the main results and achievements, valued inter-agency partnerships and community mobilization, and celebrated collective efforts through artistic and cultural performances, while ensuring strong media and institutional visibility.
The fight against violence against women and girls remains a global emergency. While technological advances have enabled significant progress in the service of collective well-being, they have also opened the way to new forms of threats. Among them, online violence, which massively affects women and girls, is now a constant danger, emphasized the speakers during the closing of this campaign.
Ambassador of Finland Teemu Sepponen's Speech
Speaking during the ceremony, the Ambassador of Finland to Tunis, Teemu Sepponen, emphasized that digital violence is only an extension of the violence exercised in the real world, a phenomenon that requires urgent mobilization. For Finland, the fight against this violence is fully part of the defense of human rights and equality, considered essential principles.
The Ambassador recalled that societies based on equality are more resilient in the face of crises and that respect for women's rights is a central condition for sustainable development. He welcomed the efforts of the UN and its partners in Tunisia to combat both traditional and emerging forms of sexist violence. The 16 Days of Activism campaign, he added, has highlighted the urgency of filling the persistent gaps and strengthening Tunisia's driving role in promoting women's rights.
According to him, this year's edition has enabled the advancement of key objectives, including the strengthening of collaboration between agencies through joint digital action highlighting the contribution of each. An essential approach, he insisted, to convey a unified and convincing message. By mobilizing the public during these meetings, the campaign sought to strengthen the sense of solidarity and collective action. The campaign now wishes to institutionalize the closing ceremony as an annual high-level meeting.
This ceremony could indeed become an important platform for strengthening the commitment and long-term responsibility of stakeholders, ensuring that the fight against sexist violence remains a priority in the years to come.
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda's Speech
For her part, UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda recalled that she spent part of the "16 Days of Activism" in the field, in Senegal, Nigeria, and Tunisia, where she met with representatives of the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and parliamentarians. This immersion allowed her to measure the progress made. "I can see how the United Nations, Member States, and women's movements have mobilized to clearly say no to this crime. Violence against women is a crime, and we must name it for what it is."
She also expressed her solidarity with women living in conflict zones: "My heart is with the women of Sudan, Palestine, Ukraine, and all the places ravaged by violence." Recalling the founding principles of the UN, she emphasized that the Charter "affirms that we, the people of the world, must live in dignity and in our rights." However, she lamented that "violence against women undermines the true essence of this Charter: peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development."
The 16 Days of Activism, she recalled, coincide each year with several major international days, including World AIDS Day, Human Rights Defenders Day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and on December 10, International Human Rights Day. "These 16 days are a time when we remember, when we dialogue, but also when we act," she affirmed. The objective is to continue mobilization, strengthen partnerships, amplify alerts, and above all, find concrete solutions to reduce violence against women.
Progress in the Fight against Violence
According to her, cyber violence is now a real threat to women. Violence also occurs online, including trafficking, facilitated by digital tools. "We are in a country that has adopted Resolution 1325. We are in a country that has co-negotiated the resolution led by UN Women alongside Estonia. This country has affirmed its ability to offer the best of itself for women's rights."
Today, she addressed her message to Tunisia, to the Member States around the world, to their civil societies, saying that it is time to reaffirm, renew the commitment, heal, defend, without excuses, this fundamental principle: life is equality. "To affirm that women have human rights, they must know them, claim them, and fully enjoy them. As long as we know violence, as long as we live with violence online and offline, these rights will be compromised, violated, and abused. But they can be defended, declared, and protected," she explained.
And she concluded, "Our countries, including my country, Tunisia, and all countries around the world, as well as we, the United Nations, must continue to call for the social, economic, cultural empowerment of women, and their full participation in decision-making spaces."
This closing ceremony highlighted the progress made collectively in the fight against digital violence against women and girls. The actions taken and to be continued around prevention, support for survivors, promotion of responsible digital practices, and mobilization of all actors to make the digital space a space of freedom rather than violence.
The campaign "United against Digital Violence" of the United Nations System in Tunisia, as part of the 16 Days of Activism (November 25 - December 10), responds to the increase in online abuse, with 60% of women reporting having suffered violence facilitated by technology. Coordinated by UN Women, UNFPA, and UNDP, it has deployed over 40 actions across the country, with a focus on digital violence and a call to collective action. It will conclude on December 10 with a national meeting presenting the results and future commitments.
