DkIT collaborates with Higher Education partners to advance national action on Gender-Based Violence
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) recently joined sixteen universities across Ireland to mark the global United Nations 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which runs from 26 November to 10 December. Now in its second year of collaborative participation, DkIT stands in solidarity with Higher Education Institutions nationwide to raise awareness and drive meaningful action to end gender-based violence in all its forms.
The 16 Days campaign, launched in 1991 by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute, calls for global efforts to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence. Supported by the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 campaign, the initiative unites universities, organisations, and communities worldwide in demanding safety, respect, and equality for all.
Siobhan Molloy, Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment (ESVH) Manager at DkIT, said:
“We are proud to join forces and partner nationally with all of Ireland's Higher Education Institutes as we collectively collaborate to bring awareness onto every campus in Ireland to help eradicate gender-based violence in all our communities and society. This is a huge statement of solidarity from students and staff nationwide. DkIT is committed to fostering a culture of zero tolerance for gender-based violence.”
Throughout the 16 Days, DkIT delivered a wide-ranging programme of workshops, awareness activities, information stands, and collaborations with local support organisations. These initiatives aimed to spark open conversations, promote preventative education, and highlight the supports available to students and staff both on and off campus.
One of the highlights of this year’s programme was a visit from Amber Women’s Refuge’s ‘One Million Stars Project’, where students and staff wove stars in solidarity with survivors of domestic abuse and all forms of violence. The stars created at DkIT will become part of the travelling LOVE Installation, set to visit DkIT’s campus in January 2026 as part of the RiVeR Project’s recognition of ten years of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence education at DkIT.
Amber Women’s Refuge leads the Irish chapter of the ‘One Million Stars Project’, a powerful community-arts initiative that raises awareness of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence through the weaving of eight-pointed stars. Each star symbolises hope, solidarity, safety, and the belief in healthy, respectful relationships. By engaging schools, community groups, and volunteers nationwide, the project provides an inclusive and creative space for learning, connection, and shared purpose.
The One Million Stars initiative brought DkIT students, staff, and community partners together on campus to weave stars — each a statement of unity, compassion, and commitment to ending violence.
Kathleen Nallen, RiVeR Project Lead, DkIT added:
“We were delighted to welcome Siobhan McQuillan from Amber Refuge’s One Million Stars Project on campus. This event offered a meaningful and creative way to engage our community in this global movement and to show support for survivors. It has been wonderful to see our campus come together with such compassion and purpose. The RiVeR Project in DkIT are looking forward to hosting the travelling LOVE installation to celebrate our upcoming conference in January 2026.”
The educational community in DkIT remains dedicated to driving change, raising awareness, and empowering every member of its community to engage actively during the 16 Days of Activism and beyond. Through education, collaboration, and collective action, the Institute continues its work toward a future free from gender-based violence.
