Violence against women violates our most fundamental human rights. Join the dots between violence against women and information and communication technologies as human rights issues. Grow the story with images that speaks about your context, ground them with your narratives or create your own story! 

Chances are, most of us have encountered some kind of harassment, whether online or offline. Each encounter is different, depending on who the harasser is, where you are when it happened, the context of the harassment etc. When caught in the moment, we might sometimes find it hard to respond, especially if the situation has never been encountered before. But when we are armed with the knowledge of experience, reflection and discussion, we are better able to know what to say and do to define the context, draw the line, and communicate clearly that the action, comment or gesture is not acceptable. How have you turned the situation around? What was your strategy to transform a threatening and unsafe space into one where you felt safe and in control?

What does it take to end violence against women? Sometimes it takes a large action: ratifying a convention, making a change in law, committing through policy and more. Most of the time, it takes small gestures: in everyday actions, everyday words, everyday interactions with the women and men around us, and within ourselves.  And sometimes, it might take just that one unlikely, but great and timely idea to start changing things. Join in the global brainstorm. What's your idea for ending violence against women?

The internet has become an important public space especially in contexts where other channels for information are regulated through law, custom or norms. Sexuality in particular, is an area that is subjected to close scrutiny and policing in all parts of the world, in different ways. It is often difficult for women to find safe spaces to find information related to sexual reproductive health or sexual pleasure from the diverse perspective of women and girls, or to engage in open conversations about these matters. At the same time, the internet has also enabled the flourishing of pornography. The dominant forms of pornography are often created for the male audience, with disempowering sexualised representations of women. This is also the basis in which calls have been made to regulate the exchange of information and communication over the internet, and for its censorship. Women are more often than not, absent in these discussions. What is the problem with online pornography? Speak for yourself. Join the great debate.

The UNAIDS 2009 AIDS Epidemic Update indicates that the number of people living with HIV worldwide continues to grow. Analysis of HIV prevention programmes reveals that integrating measures to address gender inequality and norms - including violence against women and exploitative forms of sex work - are critical in long-term solutions to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. One of the main reasons is because unequal power relations between women and men make it harder for women to negotiate for safer sex and condom-use with their partners. The risk of not having this conversation however, is very high. HIV can stop with each and everyone of us. Exercise control over what happens to our own bodies, and claim our right to define how we choose to engage in sexual relations. My body, my terms. Let's talk about safer sex! Spell out the terms on when and how you want to have sex, and break the stigma around HIV - get tested!

The 16 days of activism against gender-based violence run from 25 November to 10 December because they encapsulate several important dates in the fight to end violence against women. Today, 29 November, is International Day on Women Human Rights Defenders.

Take Back The Tech! supports this important recognition of the women and girls who defend and promote human rights. Most times, their work is unseen. Although women are often at the frontline of struggles for civil liberties, they are often forgotten when the war is won. In the area of technology, many women go unrecognised in their contribution to its development. Women who are using emerging ICT to document and disseminate human rights violations are having their channels of communication shut down and are being threatened, beaten and arrested.

Women who fight for and defend the protection of human rights at times do so with immense courage and risk to personal lives.  There are so many women human rights defenders around us. Honour her. Name her. Defend her right to be a women human rights defender.