UN WOMEN offices across the Central Africa Region were involved in this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Violence campaign, which takes place annually from 25 November 2009, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to 10 December 2009, International Human Rights Day. This year’s global theme of the 16 Days of Activism was Commit, Act, Demand: We CAN End Violence against Women. The 16 Days Campaign honors groups and individuals who commit to bring Gender based Violence (GBV) to the forefront of attention, encourages everyone to take action to end GBV, and demands accountability for all of the promises made to eliminate GBV.

Burundi’s national theme for the 16 Days of Activism against Violence campaign was “Men and women, engage ourselves to end violence against women”, putting particular focus on the role of men by targeting male-dominated groups such as taxi and motorcycle drivers, sports clubs, housekeepers and others.

The closure of the campaign aimed to sensitize the community in Bujumbura through a mass sport activity. It took place on a Sunday as this is when most of the sport club members are active. UN WOMEN worked closely with the Ministry of Gender and Ministry of Sports and Culture to mobilize different jogging clubs to circulate in different quarters of Bujumbura with banners and messages against VAW. UN WOMEN specifically reached out to men trough engaging the Coalition of Men against VAW (CHOVIFE) which has already worked with sports club in the past.