The call for REVOLUTION is being heard around the world. Here are a few excerpts from some regional campaign launch events organized by local activists:
Himachal, India
Rising, Striking, Dancing to demanding Justice has led us to give a call for Revolution…we want nothing less than a deep, sustainable fundamental change in the interest of all those who dream of a world without want, fear, violence and play an active role in restructuring, re imagining the earth and its glory- a non exploitative, relationship with each other and with nature, honouring our plurality and its essential inherent quality of complementaritiy, non hierarchical, all encompassing creative, nurturing and caring universal ethos.
We want nothing less than billion flowers to bloom.
Coordinated by: Abha Bhaiya, Jagori Rural and TARA
Swaziland
On the 13th of September 2014, One Billion Rising Swaziland held two launches. The OBR Youth held a launch in the evening, while the community women held a launch for One Billion Rising Revolution in the day. For women in Swaziland their revolution is increased LOVE, PEACE and UNITY. The Youth Rising will focus on justice for passion killings. There was an official collaboration of One billion Rising Swaziland and the Swaziland Young Women’s network during the launch.
Coordinated by: Colani Hlatjwako
The Gambia
![Gambia OBR Rev launch 1[8]](https://www.onebillionrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Gambia-OBR-Rev-launch-18-1024x768.jpg)
As the whole world begins to launch the One Billion Rising REVOLUTION, The Gambia is no exception in this global campaign. Dr. Isatou Touray and GAMCOTRAP launched the ONE BILLION RISING-REVOLUTION to make a loud deafening noise by DRUMMING, DANCING and RISING-REVOLUTION (D2R2). Dr. Isatou invited various media houses to provide them with message for 2015 One Billion Rising Revolution global campaign.
![Gambia OBR Rev launch 2[7]](https://www.onebillionrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Gambia-OBR-Rev-launch-27-1024x768.jpg)
Coordinated by: Dr. Isatou Touray
Manila, The Philippines
GABRIELA Press Release
One Billion Rising 2015’s call to arms:
Women rise against corruption, rise for system change!
It’s never too early to rise, demand justice and do a revolution.
With just five months before the global stage for the final year of the One Billion Rising global campaign against violence and injustice on women rises on February 15, 2015, the Philippine organizers of One Billion Rising announced that they are gearing to rise for a “revolution.”
In a press conference this morning, actress and One Billion Rising Global Director Monique Wilson explained that towards February 15 next year, the One Billion Rising global movement, most known for taking on dance as a form of protest, will escalate the call to enjoin as many women and men worldwide to “rise for a revolution” against systematic inequalities and injustices that victimize women.
Filipino women’s alliance GABRIELA, meanwhile, hit the growing violence and injustice experienced by women and said that the Philippine leg of the One Billion Rising campaign will enjoin the public to a “revolution against corruption and for system change.”
“Violence against women in its various forms have escalated in the past decade and reached record-high figures under the Aquino administration. Acts of violence against women and children are becoming more brazen because we have a government that condones impunity and promotes violence and injustice. There is no other recourse for women but to fight for meaningful and systematic change in society and in government, and a growing number of women are rising and demanding accountability and real reforms,” said Joms Salvador, Secretary General of GABRIELA.
Salvador said that in the three decades that GABRIELA has been assisting victims of violence and campaigning for women’s rights, corruption in government and its military and police institutions have proven to be major stumbling blocks in achieving justice and meaningful change in the situation of women. She also hit President Aquino for his brazen defense of Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima over the ‘EDSA hulidap’ incident, saying that the government is only dealing with the issue superficially.
“When you have a government that mentions women’s rights and gender equality only as lip service and instead promotes policies and programs that are detrimental to women and the people, no real could be achieved. A government that breeds corruption of public funds, promotes a brutally corrupt and decadent police institution, defunds social services to allot public monies on anti-people programs, militarizes communities and allows a foreign government to occupy our land is a government that primarily causes violence and injustice against women,” Salvador said.
Together with One Billion Rising Philippines organizers Gabriela Women’s Party and the New Voice Company, GABRIELA said that several OBR “risings for revolution” nationwide and in other parts of the world will snowball in succeeding months as Filipino women take a more active stance against corruption and system change.
Coordinated by: Monique Wilson and GABRIELA
