November 25 marks the 31st International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, since the UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in 1993.
- The theme for this year was “Every 10 Minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse. UNiTE to End Violence against Women.”
- The day marks the beginning of 16 days of activism, which culminates with International Human Rights Day on December 10.
- The date marks the brutal assassination in 1960 of the three Mirabal sisters who were political activists in the Dominican Republic.
- The Mirabal sisters were killed for protesting the oppressive regime of Rafael Trujillo, the despot who usurped the presidency in 1930, after serving as the country’s commander-in-chief. His 31-year-long rule, dubbed the Trujillo Era, was marked by a complete loss of civic and political liberties.
