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activism, belfast, CEDAW, eve ensler, feminist, flash mobs, gang rapes, northern ireland, one billion rising, phillipines, politics, united kingdom, united nations, violence against women, women's rights
One third of the world’s women will experience violence in her lifetime.
Rape, domestic violence, sexual assault – they have become far too commonplace in our world. We have become far too desensitized to the daily barage of degrading images, the daily reports of rape, whether gang rapes in India, the rape of Spanish tourists in Mexico or the rape of university students in Belfast.
But today, Valentine’s Day, the day the (western) world “celebrates” love, romance and ‘femininity,’ women around the world will rise together to demand an end to the violence.
One Billion Raising, the brainchild of feminist activist and author Eve Ensler, will see thousands, millions – hopefully a billion – women in organized events around the world come together to dance and shout against the endemic violence against women. So far, according to the Guardian, there are events planned in all of the 192 countries recognized by the United Nations.
There has been much doubt raised about OBR, particularly Ensler’s use of A-list celebrities to spread her causes – as well as dubiousness over whether dancing and shouting will really do anything to bring an end to violence against women.
But what OBR definitely does, by utilizing global networks, social media, flash mobs and loud music, is get very, very visible. When was the last time any action against violence against women got its own Guardian live blog? And, according to that very live blog:
“Yet, the reaction in parts of the world where the need to raise awareness about violence is perhaps greatest has been phenomenal, from the millions expected to take to the streets in Bangladesh to a march on parliament in Afghanistan… Ensler, meanwhile, has ignored those who scoff at her idea of “a global patriarchal pandemic’, so far raising more than $90m for rape crisis centres including the City of Joy in Congo, where she plans to spend today. “It is something that has gone across class, social group and religion,” she told the Guardian about One Billion Rising, which marks the 15th anniversary of something she calls V-Day. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime.” ‘
In Belfast, there are two OBR events, organized by a partnership between Women’s Aid and the Belfast Feminist Network. While some activists have been practicing for weeks, you don’t need to know the dance to join in – your presence is enough!
Still not convinced? Have a look at these amazing pictures from an OBR event in the Phillippines.
Want to do more? NICEM is submitting to the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women this summer, focusing on the issue of violence against BME women and girls. We’d love for you to get involved. Check out our contact page for details.
Happy Rising!