The dates that organisers chose for the campaign are meant to indicate a symbolic link between VAW and violation of human rights: November 25 marks the International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10 is International Human Rights Day. The 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including December 1 (World AIDS Day) and December 6 (the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre).

In coordinating the campaign, CWGL helps individuals and organisations plan activities that focus on developing and calling for the implementation of local, national, and global policies aimed at eliminating VAW. Resources available for campaigners include:

With these tools in hand, activists have engaged in the following approaches as part of campaign work:

Each year, a particular theme is chosen; materials (e.g., the "take action kit") and activities are shaped around the theme. (To read about past campaign themes, please visit the 16 Days website). To cite one example, the 2004 theme is "Violence Against Women & HIV/AIDS".

Women, Rights, Health, Gender-based Violence.

In June 1993, representatives of nations and NGOs gathered in Vienna, Austria for the United Nations [UN] World Conference on Human Rights. Women's human rights advocates had worked to ensure that women's rights were recognised as human rights there and that VAW was part of the discussion. The Vienna Declaration and Platform of Action, which was signed by 171 countries, was the result.

Organisers say that, while much work remains to be done, signficant gains have been made since 1993 on the international level for the movement to end VAW. In that context, the 2003 campaign focused on how both the human rights framework and various international initiatives have affected the work being done to end VAW at the grassroots level. Activists were asked to take time to consider where the movement has been and where it is heading, as follows: "What advancements have been made in your community, organisation, region and country? What are the major issues and obstacles you still face? What are the major obstacles still confronting us all at the global level? How has framing violence against women as a human rights concern affected your work? How can we continue to strengthen the level of collaboration among 16 Days advocates around the world?"

As of 2004, more than 1,700 organisations in over 130 countries have participated in the 16 Days Campaign since 1991.