The “16 Days” campaign – International Human Rights Day and summary

10 12 2025

Today, 10 December, is International Human Rights Day, a holiday established to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This document, adopted by the UN General Assembly, has become the cornerstone of modern protection of individual rights and reminds us that dignity, equality and freedom from violence are an inalienable right of every human being. This is why 10 December marks the symbolic end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

Over the past few days, we have covered key topics on the issue: from digital, domestic and economic violence, to discrimination in education, to the specifics of violence against non-binary, transgender people and people with disabilities.

As a reminder: global figures show that almost a third of women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime [1], and digital violence is becoming a new field of violation of personal rights and privacy.

It is worth remembering that violence is a multidimensional phenomenon – it rarely occurs in one form. Economic, psychological, emotional or digital violence often co-occur with physical violence, as well as institutional barriers to accessing support. Systemic problems therefore require systemic solutions: education, response procedures, effective protection mechanisms and well-funded support institutions.

Although the law does not always keep up with new forms of violence, there are tools in the Polish system to protect victims – from the laws on invasion of privacy and data protection, to the new definition of rape, to the criminalisation of domestic violence, stalking and threats. One of the most important tools for intervention remains the Blue Card procedure, which allows services to respond quickly to domestic violence, and in recent years has been increasingly used in cases of psychological violence.

Human rights are not an abstraction – they are the daily responsibility of all of us to create an environment where dignity and safety are respected. If you are experiencing violence or want to support a person in need – use the resources of UW and organisations specialising in these issues. If your or someone’s health and life is in immediate danger – contact the relevant services.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign has shown that public awareness is growing, but the scale of the challenge is still enormous. The end of the campaign does not mean the end of action – countering violence must continue throughout the year, in everyday decisions, in institutions, in working and learning environments. Thanks to all the individuals and organisations who contributed to this year’s edition.

————————————————————–

We would like to remind you of reliable sources of information and places where you can find help:

Feminoteka Foundation supporting women experiencing violence, providing free legal, psychological and therapeutic assistance

Feminoteka Foundation women’s helpline 888 88 33 88 free, confidential and professional help offered by Feminoteka Foundation experts to women who have experienced violence

Women’s Rights Centre support for women whose rights are violated, in particular women experiencing violence, free psychological, legal and social assistance, civic and professional advice

Blue line number 800 120 002 free and confidential support of the Polish National Referral Service for Victims of Family Violence “Blue Line”.

Help map – an interactive map of Poland, containing information about places where women can obtain legal, psychological, social support or accommodation, created by the Czas Kobiet Foundation

Information on support institutions at the University of Warsaw can be found here.

—————————————————————–

[1] UN Women., 16 Days of Activism – Theme 2025: End digital violence against all women and girls., 2025; World Health Organization, Lifetime toll: 840 million women faced partner or sexual violence, 2025.