FEANTSA Goes Orange

For 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that aims to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10th December, Human Rights Day.

Gender based violence is the key driver of women’s homelessness:

  • 1/3 women cite domestic abuse as the main cause of their homelessness
  • 60% of women cite domestic abuse as one of the causes of their homelessness
  • GBV is both a cause of homelessness and a common experience for homeless women

  • Migrant women with an irregular or dependent migration status often experience additional hardship to leave domestic/intimate partner violence, including the lack of access to information, fear of deportation and the absence of safe-reporting mechanisms.

  • Article 59(1) of the Istanbul Convention, referring to “autonomous residence permit” for women whose residence status depends on that of the spouse/partner and who are ending the marriage or the relationship is not being unanimously implemented across the EU: countries failing to provide secure residence permits for victims of domestic violence include Belgium, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, & the UK.

For this reason, this year FEANTSA is going orange for the 16 Days of Activism. In addition to changing our online appearance during these 16 days we will be sharing information, resources, real stories and research, as well as one or two new FEANTSA publications with a focus on women and homelessness. Between 14.00-15.00 each day we will dedicate our social media channels to the topic of GBV and homelessness. Follow our social media channels (linked below) and check this dedicated resource page for regular updates.

To prevent and to end women’s homelessness and to ensure the full realisation of the right to housing for women, women must be prevented and protected from violence against women and domestic violence. The Istanbul Convention, designed to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, contains important provisions pertaining to the obligations of States parties to ensure that victims of violence have access to services including housing, that shelters are easily accessible and available to victims, and that the authorities have the power to remove a perpetrator from the residence in situations of immediate danger. It is imperative that the provisions of the Convention are extended to women who are at risk or are experiencing homelessness.

Social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEANTSA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FEANTSA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feantsa 

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