THE LAST FOUR YEARS:

The One Billion Rising movement and the local Rising campaigns first began in 2013, with the fierce struggle against sexual and physical violence – taking on the advocacy against rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sex trafficking that V-Day campaigns over 18 years have been at the forefront of. But over the last four years, as One Billion Rising has grown and the local campaigns deepened, it has also brought in economic, racial and, gender violence, violence caused by corruption, occupation and aggression, violence caused by lack of economic opportunities, by environmental disasters, climate change and environmental plunder, violence created by capitalist greed, among so many other forms of violence that affect women. 

 

ONE BILLION RISING 2016: RISE FOR REVOLUTION – AN ESCALATION

One Billion Rising 2016 – an escalated call for Revolution focusing on the most marginalized sectors – was a worldwide action that saw over 200 countries rising up creatively and politically to urgently demand an end to the violence being perpetuated on women and children, and to demand an end to the global impunity that sustains the culture of violence.

What began as a worldwide creative dance protest – has now also emerged as a collective defiance using art as a powerful political tool for resistance and protest, as well as a colorful, diverse and highly creative and artistic celebration of local and global solidarity. All over the world, people danced with rage against all forms of violence – not only sexual and gender violence, but also the violence of poverty, inequality, exploitation and marginalization. And they also danced with hope in their fierce and unwavering insistence on a future where freedom, equality and dignity is possible. What began to surface in the last few years of One Billion Rising but what has been much more in focus this year, are not just the effects of patriarchal structures, but also the international capitalist and imperialist systems that cause and perpetuate poverty, unprecedented forms of labor, economic and sexual exploitation, human and sex trafficking, state sponsored wars, militarization and internal and international displacement – that render women and children some of the most vulnerable. Activists around the world have highlighted where these systems support each other in the continuing oppression of the most marginalized sectors – that include women, children, indigenous communities, migrants, workers, youth, peasants and LGBTQGNC – an oppression that cuts across gender, race, class, culture, religion and caste.

 

GLOBAL COORDINATORS:

Last month, One Billion Rising global coordinators from around the world gathered in Croatia to assess the 2016 campaign, and to envision One Billion Rising 2017.

Attending the summit were global coordinators representing over 35 countries, along with members of the V-team. Joining Eve Ensler (V-Day and One Billion Rising Founder), Monique Wilson (One Billion Rising Global Director/ Philippines), and Susan Celia Swan (V-Day Executive Director), were Christine Schuler Deschryver (V-Day Congo Director/ City of Joy Director), Tanya Anastasiadis (United Kingdom), Abha Bhaiya from Jagori Grameen and Sangat (India), Kamla Bhasin from Sangat South Asia (India/ South Asia regional coordinator), Nicoletta Billi (Italy), Rada Boric from Centre for Women’s Studies (Croatia/ Eastern Europe & The Balkans regional coordinator), Chi Hui-Jung and Lori Chen from Garden of Hope (Taiwan), Colani Hlatjwako from Women and Law in Southern Africa (Swaziland), Khushi Kabir from Nijera Kori (Bangladesh), Marsha Lopez Calderon (Guatemala/ Central and South America regional coordinator), Marya Meyer (Miami), Jessica Montoya (Santa Fe, New Mexico), Andres Naime (Mexico), Joan Salvador from GABRIELA (Philippines), Nyasha Sengayi from Source International Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Colleen Carroll (V-Day Associate Director of Communications and Social Media), Shael Norris (V-Day Director for College and Community Campaigns), and Katherine McFate (V-Day Board Member).

 

Global Overview of ONE BILLION RISING 2016:

As shared by the global coordinators – leading up to February 14, 2016 – and ongoing until March 8^th International Women’s Day and beyond – activists around the world held Rising events that called everyone to Rise For Revolution and to dance in defiance. They called all sectors, in all countries, to hold their institutions of authority and justice accountable to ending the culture of impunity and violence – including the media, schools, local and national governments, churches, and international bodies such as the UN. Their call towards oppressive sectors that make possible the systemic sustaining of violence was louder and bigger this year – calling into wider public attention institutional and state violence. Global activists danced with determination and rage against both local issues as well as the intersecting international structures that sustain systematic oppression. Around the world, the call for Revolution was a resounding demand for justice and for system change.

 

COLLECTIVE HIGHLIGHTS OF GLOBAL CAMPAIGNS:

• Maintained focus on violence against women issues of rape, battery, incest, trafficking, FGM, but also expanded even more specifically to cut across issues such as climate change and environment, on plunder of natural resources, on disability, poverty, gender, race, conflict, economic policies, capitalism, imperialism, occupation, war, labor, militarization, forced migration, human and sex trafficking, refugees and internationally and internally displaced peoples, indigenous peoples and the LGBTQ communities – focusing on its connection to violence against women and girls – both as root causes and as factors that continue its perpetuation and escalation.

• Deeper alliance work with civil society groups and other movements to harness media attention and societal engagement particularly on the legal aspect – advocating passing of laws and stronger implementations of existing laws that protect women and ensure their rights

• Kept even sharper focus on state agencies, as well as cultural and international institutions and instruments, on their responsibility to prioritize ending VAW, as well as their own involvement in perpetuating the continuing impunity around the lack of justice women have – both legally and socially.

• Escalation of Art as both a powerful personal and collective form of protest and creative resistance – and broader and more diverse, radical, bold, “on the edge” art forms utilized – dance, theatre, poetry, spoken word, visual art, sculpting, music, film, digital art

• DANCE remained and intensified as a wild, bold and radical embodiment of celebration, demand, hope, joy and protest.

• Continued and sustained an even broader multi-sectoral approach – partnerships with other organizations – and the building of alliances between workers, migrants, indigenous, teachers, artists, students, local governments, peasants, church groups.

• Fostered National Solidarity on the intersectional work amongst local groups

• Strengthened Global solidarity – working together on global themes – allowing broad interfacing with other campaigns and movements – and facilitating a more pronounced awareness and education on global issues on a local level – which gave opportunity to connect the global issues to local issues. A developing political education.

• More escalated and focused pressure on governments for truth and accountability on all matters and intersectional issues pertaining to VAW

• Continuing Diversity of participation  – from youth groups and students, older and new generation activists and feminists, media, bloggers, artists, academics, teachers, men and boys of all ages.

• Strengthened and continued to develop partnership with existing grassroots organizations who continue to lead the local campaigns

• Much more strategic and creative and focused use of social media as a key outreach, political advocacy and engagement tool

• More specific Artistic and Political strategies combined – as a joint tool to escalate the Rise for Revolution call. Which in turn opened up connectedness in political, social and cultural activities.

• The visibility and value given to grassroots groups and movements was more pronounced – on media and social media

• The increasing and more escalated use of OBR as a form or “People Power” – giving the power back to the people, not to governments or institutions.

• More and more V-men initiatives were created to sustain deeper and more long term involvement of men in being part of the solution and leading the call to end VAW

• More and more involvement and engagement of the LGBT community and highlighting shared forms of discrimination and oppression

• Youth Risings were unprecedented this year – harnessing both the artistic and political energy, and bringing in diverse, varied and strategic new social media creativity

• Escalated more political actions and demands – sustaining sharper calls on state agency accountability

• REVOLUTION continued to be fully embraced as a theme to call for SYSTEM CHANGE – CHANGE OF MINDSETS, CHANGE OF STRUCTURES THAT KEEP VIOLENCE IN PLACE. CHANGE IN CONSCIOUSNESS, AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES, CHANGE IN PATRIARCHAL VALUES AND CULTURES, CHANGE IN POLICIES THAT AFFECT WOMEN ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND SEXUALLY/ PHYSICALLY, CHANGE IN REVOLVING PATTERNS OF CONTROL, OPPRESSION AND REPRESSION.

The OBR team and global coordinators also discussed the following themes and focus points as part of the meeting:

• Intersectional issues focusing on garment factory workers, indigenous communities, migrant and domestic workers, human and sex trafficking and women refugees and displaced people.
• Personal and political obstacles
• Grassroots organizing and mobilizing
• Art and Activism Initiatives
• Youth Risings
• The Revolution and the Earth and Environment
• Rising and organizing within political and state conflicts and repression
• Racism and the “Say Her Name” campaign in America
• Forms of exploitation of women and girls, local, regional and international
• Global Solidarity

 

CONTINUING WITH THE RISE FOR REVOLUTION CALL:

So much of the violence towards women and girls we are seeing today has at its root – deep seated discrimination, exploitation, marginalization and oppression – in all structural forms – sexual, economic, political, social, cultural. The cry from global activists around the world as shared by OBR global coordinators and organizers – from the streets to the Houses of Congress, from schools to theatres, from indigenous communities to factories, from social media to films, from urban poor communities to city squares with people from all walks of life – is the removal and transformation of an unjust social system that not only allows, but encourages physical, economic, social, mental and emotional violence.

 

ART AS CREATIVE RESISTANCE:

When people danced around the world, and when they Rose for revolution using art as a powerful form of creative resistance – it is the world dancing and demanding defiantly to hold governments, institutions of authority and power, and other perpetrators accountable for their actions. It is collective artistic action that incites, and mobilizes, arouses, awakens and inspires people to come together in unity as both a local and global community. It is the creative “people power” force that will transform our present global structure characterized by patriarchy and capitalist greed into a world free from exploitation, discrimination and oppression.

As they envisioned 2017 plans, global coordinators concluded at the meeting that the One Billion Rising global dance of global connection and solidarity is both a disruption and a commitment to do everything in our power to keep building a world of equality, freedom, peace and dignity – and a world free of violence.

Preparations are now underway for the launch of One Billion Rising 2017:

ONE BILLION RISING REVOLUTION

SOLIDARITY AGAINST EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN

RISE. DISRUPT. CONNECT

The Revolution continues…………

“So we must learn the art and practice of disruption. We must release the tentacles of our false securities and interrupt the world as we know it. We must assume that anywhere we live or anything we are doing can change or disintegrate on a dime and we must practice changing and letting it go. Living as if there is no future but the one we are creating. Nothing guaranteed but our willingness to live as pioneers of a new consciousness and way. And we must become disrupters. That is the power of creative resistance. Interrupting business as usual, taking stands that forfeit our acceptance or economic elevation, risking disapproval and controversy, participating in actions that loosen our grip on the suicidal givens and push the tyrants to fall.   Disrupters, fighting and dancing with all our might for life over comfort.”

– Eve Ensler (V-Day and OBR Founder and Artistic Director)