KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (IDEVAW) will be observed tomorrow, November 25, to be followed by 16 days of activism, ending on December 10.

This year’s observation of  IDEVAW will take the form of a social media and communications campaign and will focus on engaging the youth and men, in an effort to continue to raise awareness on the need for the elimination of gender-based violence.

Spearheading the events during the period of activism is The Bureau of Women’s Affairs (BWA), a department of the Office of the Prime Minister.

The bureau’s mandate is to ensure that gender is mainstreamed through all government’s policies, plans, programmes, and projects.

The 16 days of activism will begin with the launch of the Social Media Campaign at the Terra Nova All Suites Hotel in Kingston, on November 25, beginning at 9:00 am. This will include an opening ceremony as well as panel discussions.

Among the activities for the rest of the activism period will be a town hall meeting to be held at the St Matthews Church, in Montego Bay, on December 9. This will be held in partnership with the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP), in observance of Human Rights Day.

Another highlight will be a symposium on the Elimination of Violence against Women, to be held at the Casa Maria Hotel, Port Maria, St Mary, on December 2, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

A ‘Community Walk’ will also be held, in keeping with the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Proactive Violence Intervention Initiative.

The walk will begin at the Epping Gas Station, Port Maria, St Mary, at 9:00 am on December 3.

In support of actions toward the elimination of gender-based violence, people may wear a purple ribbon during the observance of the IDEVAW and the 16 Days of Activism.

Several international days are also observed during the period, such as World AIDS Day, observed on December 1, and International Human Rights Day, on December 10.