In 1976, South African sociologist Diana E. H. Russell introduced the term "femicide" at the International Tribunal on Crimes against Women in an effort to draw attention to the fact that the majority of female homicides are committed in a sexist and misogynist context. Russell describes femicide as "the killing of female persons by male persons because they are female". In other words, killings committed based on gender.

In the 90s, feminist academics and activists in Latin America began referring to the concept more widely. International organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations adopted the term in the 2010s. 

Femicide is a global crime that exists because societies are structured along patriarchal social norms.

As early as 1981, human rights organizations have organized initiatives on November 25 aimed at ending discrimination and violence against girls and women.

The campaign goes back to the violent assassination of the Mirabal sisters on November 25, 1960, in the Dominican Republic. The three sisters were part of the resistance organization "June 14 Movement", an organization that planned to overthrow the dictator.

In 1981, during the first Latin American Women's Congress in Colombia, November 25 was declared a day of remembrance for victims of violence against women. In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

In 1991, the Women's Global Leadership Institute launched a campaign titled "16 days of activism against gender violence", and since 2008, the United Nations has been continuing the campaign under the name, "Orange the World". Since then, this campaign has been held annually between November 25 and December 10, International Human Rights Day.

2017 marked the first time that the UN Women's National Committee in Austria took part in the "Orange the World" campaign.