16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence 2022
If you are in an emergency situation, please access 9-1-1 (in Canada), for emergency services in your area.
If you are outside of the 9-1-1 service area, please access available emergency services or call a crisis line in your area.
You may also want to consult the list of additional support services for people affected by gender-based violence.
The Government of Canada’s theme for the 2022 campaign of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence is ‘’It’s Not Just‘’. The theme is a double meaning: it reminds Canadians of the injustice of gender-based violence (GBV) and brings attention to how society dismisses and minimizes attitudes and behaviours contributing to GBV. It highlights how GBV is not just a private issue, but a systemic cycle that all Canadians have a role in ending. ‘’It’s Not Just‘’ asks all Canadians to take action against GBV by addressing the beliefs and behaviours that perpetuate violence.
The theme of this year’s campaign is shared with the national youth awareness campaign that was launched on social media at the end of September 2022.
Ways to get involved
- Kick-off the 16 Days by wearing purple on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to raise awareness about gender-based violence.
- Throughout the 16 Days, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. Share the 16 Days campaign posts or create your own using the images below and the hashtag #16Days.
- Use 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence 2022 background below during your virtual meetings.
- Learn more about gender-based violence:
- Find out about 16 ways you can help end gender-based violence
- Check out ‘’It’s Not Just’’, our youth awareness campaign to end gender-based violence
- Learn about gender-based violence
- Watch a movie, video or documentary related to gender-based violence such as those available on the National Film Board website (various languages; viewer discretion is advised for some films).
- Attend an event in your community to show your support to the victims of GBV. Consider donating to a shelter near you if you can.
- On the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6, honour the victims of the Polytechnique Montréal tragedy by wearing a white ribbon. Visit the web page of the National Day for other ideas
- On December 10, Human Rights Day, read the full text or simplified version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or consult the illustrated booklet of the Declaration.
- Become an ally by adopting these simple but powerful actions all year long:
- Listen: be open to learning from the experiences of others
- Believe: support survivors and those affected by violence. It is very important that you say the words ‘’I believe you’’ and ‘’This is not your fault’’
- Educate (yourself and others): learn the facts about GBV; know what your workplace policies say about violence and harassment; take a course; participate in an event
- Speak out: add your voice to call out violence
- Intervene: find a safe way to help when you see acts of gender-based violence. Name what you see. Express your concern and ask how you can help. Intervening can also mean providing support and resources
- Act: give your time or donate to organizations working to end gender-based violence
16 Days 2022 digital toolkit
How to save images to your computer or mobile device
(1) Open the full-sized image
Open the full-sized image by clicking on the link of the image you wish to download.
(2) Open the contextual menu
On a PC: Right-click on the image you want to download.
On a Mac: Hold down the Control key (Ctrl) and click on the image you want to download.
On a mobile device: Tap and hold the image you want to download until the menu appears.
(3) Choose “Save as”
The options on the contextual menu will vary, depending on which web browser you’re using. Some browsers may say “Save as” while others may say “Save image as” or “Save picture as.”
(4) Rename the file (optional)
A dialogue box will open, giving you the opportunity to change the file name or keep it as is.
(5) Choose a destination folder
Specify a location to save the downloaded image and click “Save.”
Web banner
Text version – Web banner
Image of the 2022 campaign of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. A young woman with her arms crossed is standing on the left side of a purple and pink background, next to the words “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”. The Canada wordmark appears in the bottom left corner.
Use this banner for your web or intranet content.
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Text version – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Image of the 2022 campaign of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. A young woman with her arms crossed is standing on the left side of a purple and pink background, with the words “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” on the right side. The hashtag #16days appears below the name of the campaign. The Canada wordmark appears in the top right corner.
Use this image for your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn content.
Text version – Instagram
Image of the 2022 campaign of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. A young woman with her arms crossed is standing on the right side of a purple and pink background with the words “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” on the left side. The hashtag #16days appears below the name of the campaign. The Canada wordmark appears in the bottom left corner.
Use this image for your Instagram content.
Virtual meeting background
Text version – Bilingual background with English text first
Background of the 2022 campaign of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. The name of the campaign is in the upper left corner of the purple and pink background: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence / 16 jours d’activisme contre la violence fondée sur le sexe”. The Canada wordmark appears in the bottom right corner.
Use this background during your virtual meetings.
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