#16Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence: Acting on Data to End Violence Against Women and Girls in the Western Pacific

25 November – 10 December 2025

 

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most urgent and preventable public health and human rights issues of our time.

Across the Western Pacific Region, almost one in five girls and women aged 15-49 have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime — and in several Pacific island countries and areas, the prevalence of lifetime intimate partner violence is as high as one in two, among the highest in the world.


The #16Days of Activism is a global campaign. This year, WHO is highlighting the updated violence against girls and women estimates.


Violence against women and girls in the Western Pacific Region



Many countries in the Western Pacific still need guidelines for the health system response to women experiencing intimate partner and/or sexual violence that are consistent with international human standards and/or WHO guidelines. Additionally, many countries still lack comprehensive post-rape care in medical facilities, and far fewer ensure these critical services are available in every community. More must be done to meet the needs of all survivors.


 

WHO’s role in ending violence against women and girls

The World Health Organization supports countries to strengthen health system leadership as part of a multisectoral approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence through improving data, policy, partnerships, and addressing social determinants of health that shape risk and resilience.

WHO’s work includes:

  • Supporting countries to address social determinants of gender-based violence, including strengthening social protection, creating safe public spaces, promoting income and economic empowerment initiatives, shifting harmful social norms, expanding education and life-skills programming, and fostering political commitment.
  • Generating and analyzing data on violence and its health impacts, as well as the underlying factors that drive it.
  • Promoting evidence-based prevention in settings, including communities, schools, and cities.
  • Providing technical guidance on health system response, coordinated action, and survivor-centered care, including training health workers using the LIVES approach: Listen, Inquire, Validate, Enhance safety, and Support.
  • Promoting accountability through evidence-based advocacy and policy support.

 

 

Actions for Member States and Partners

Ending gender-based violence requires shared action and commitment.

Member States can:

  • Integrate gender-based violence prevention and response into health and development policies.
  • Strengthen implementation of social norms change, safe environments, parenting and caregiver support, and education and life-skills interventions.
  • Invest in income and economic strengthening, including social protection and livelihood support, to address key risk factors linked to violence.
  • Strengthen whole-of-school approaches by ensuring schools implement evidence-based violence prevention, promote gender-equitable norms, and provide safe, inclusive learning environments.
  • Comprehensively address intimate partner violence and include post-rape care in national plans.
  • Expand and standardize health sector responses by developing or updating national guidelines consistent with WHO standards and ensuring access to comprehensive post-rape care in all communities.
  • Expand health worker training, surveillance systems, and evidence-based interventions.
  • Advance quality data and evidence generation on violence against girls and women, in line with international commitments under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Partners and advocates can:

  • Use campaign materials and relevant resources to mobilize communities and promote evidence-based prevention.
  • Leverage advocacy platforms such as 16 Days of Activism to sustain momentum, spotlight new data, and strengthen collective action to end violence against girls and women across the Region.
  • Support zero-tolerance policies on sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment across all sectors.
  • Advocate for investments in data, prevention, and survivor-centered care.

Collective action across sectors is the foundation of prevention and health equity.


 

 

Multimedia Materials

The #16Days Campaign offers ready-to-use social media assets to help policymakers, partners, and advocates take part in the campaign.

It encourages consistent messaging and unified regional action across sectors.


View the Global Campaign

 

 

Resources

 

Using data for action

The 16 Days of Activism campaign is more than a call for awareness — it’s a call for change. When governments invest in prevention, when data informs decisions, and when communities stand together, violence can be stopped before it happens.


Prevention begins with action. Action begins with all of us.