FEANTSA Women joins the UN 16 Days of Activism Campaign

FEANTSA Women joins the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, running from 25 November,  the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,  to 10 December, Human Rights Day. This campaign calls for the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. It underscores how gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations worldwide, affecting millions of women — including those experiencing homelessness. 

GBV is both a cause and a consequence of women’s homelessness, making safety, dignity, and the recognition of women’s trauma-related needs important. 

The aim of the project is to empower women through photography, providing a space for them to express what safety means in their own words and images. Through workshops held in safe and supportive environments, women experiencing homelessness came together to share their experiences using the participatory photography method known as Visual Voices. 

Throughout the 16 Days of Activism, we will publish these visual voices, which are photographs accompanied by the women’s narratives, capturing their lived experiences, challenges, strengths, and resilience across Europe. By sharing these images, we seek to make visible the realities of women whose homelessness is often hidden, and to highlight the links between gender-based violence and women’s homelessness. 

We invite you to view these testimonies with respect and care, recognising the strength and the courage of the women who have chosen to share their stories with us.