Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. At least one in three women in the world has suffered from violence, usually by someone known to her, according to UN Women. In many societies, bias in the legal system and community attitudes add to the trauma.

The origins of November 25th go back to 1960, when the three Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic were violently assassinated for their political activism. The sisters, known as the “Unforgettable Butterflies,” became a symbol of the crisis of violence against women in Latin America. November 25th was the date chosen to commemorate their lives and promote global recognition of gender violence, and has been observed in Latin America since the 1980s.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence from November 25th through December 10th, Human Rights Day, aim to raise public awareness and mobilise people everywhere to bring about change. This year the UN’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign invites you to “Orange the world,” using the colour designated by the UNiTE campaign to symbolize a brighter future without violence.