Main events calendar

Every year, the world comes together to celebrate World AIDS Day to commemorate those who have died and to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic.

 

Between 2011-2015, the Day will have the theme of "Getting to Zero" to echo the UNAIDS' vision of achieving "Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths". A series of events are planned globally to mark the Day.

Many women around the world are being subjected to rape and domestic violence, and the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.

 

Activists have marked 25 November as the day against gender-based violence. The UN invites governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on this day. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960 of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic.

Each year for 16 days, groups from around the world join together to speak out against gender violence.

 

Violence against women takes many forms: sexual assault,  child marriage, incest, wife beating, prostitution, female genital mutilation, dowry-related violence, trafficking, sexual violence during wars, femicide, sexual harrassment, 'honour' killings, forced sterilization, date rape, pornography and bride kidnapping.  All are unacceptable violations of human rights.