We write to share another update on the amazing One Billion Rising events happening across South Asia!
Darpan 2017, a feminist fest, was organised in Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, University of Delhi on 8th March 2017. There was a panel discussion on the topic, ‘Women Entrepreneurship’. Womenite also performed a dance depicting the atrocities faced by women. The event ended with a flash mob by Womenite members and a musical performance by the students of the college which. This event was also followed by a talk and open mic on the theme, ‘Justajoo: of Sexuality and Choices’ session in Hearken Cafe, Shahpur Jat from 1 pm to 4 pm.
One Billion Rising expressed solidarity with women workers and their unions in Delhi on 18th March 2017, Rising with a consultation on women workers in the unorganized sector. The event was organized by Jagori, Delhi and Sangat. The over 200 workers present were domestic workers, sex workers, home based workers, garment workers and home makers. In this day long gathering, they discussed their issues and through OBR, linked with women workers all over the world.
Hope for Women collaborated with the Women’s Development Committee in Male’ City, Maldives and conducted a capacity building training program for their members and other interested women on gender, domestic violence, Sustainable Development Goals and international human rights mechanisms. The sessions were conducted with assistance from the UN Human Rights Office in the Maldives, UNDP Maldives and the Family Protection Authority. The programme was held on the 27th-29th March 2017
Indraprastha College for Women’s BA program fest Ittehaad, in collaboration with Womenite, held a Rising on 3rd April 2017. Kamla Bhasin was also present at the event, and spoke for an hour. She spoke to an audience of 600 students and faculty about feminism, patriarchy and solidarity!
Insan Foundation Trust organized a One Billion Rising event at the University of Balochistan, Pakistan on 3rd April 2017. Vice Chancellor UOB Mr. Javed Iqbal, Registrar Mr. Tariq Jogizai, Head of the Department of Fine Arts Mr. Akram Dost, students & faculty of University of Balochistan rose in solidarity against exploitation. Approximately 70 students and faculty were present at the event!
In one of the largest outreach to men and boys in Delhi, the Ek Saath campaign, Centre for Health and Social Justice in partnership with One Billion Rising Delhi are running a campaign against violence against women and girls in ten major metro stations in New Delhi. Banners, standees and stalls will be displayed prominently in the 10 busiest metro stations in the city from 27th March to 10th April 2017. Hundreds of thousands of commuters are engaging with the campaign’s messages of involving men and boys to end violence against women in the metro. Volunteers from Shivaji College, MenEngage Delhi are handling the stalls, interactions with interested commuters, taking registrations of those men and boys who want to join the Ek Saath campaign and handing out leaflets, brochures, mobile stickers, and information on gender based violence and discrimination and how men and boys can play a role in bringing gender equality.
Kamla Bhasin has given a message to men on ending patriarchal social norms through this campaign. Messages of support and inspiration for the Ek Saath campaign have also been sent by Onler Kom and Rahul Bose, who are role models in their work for gender justice and have been associated with work on this issue.
The Women’s Development Cell of Miranda House organized a an OBR-themed gender fest on 6th, 7th and 8th April 2017, through which students engaged with many OBR partners and activists on issues of child sexual abuse, rights of LGBTQIA+, women and the media and many others. Kamla Bhasin spoke to these students through a talk called Taking Feminist Conversations Forward. Creativity and feminism and women’s property rights were among the several issues discussed for more than an hour.
The Women’s Development Cell of Miranda House, Delhi University has also released book of feminist poems called Letters to Patriarchy as part of the One Billion Rising campaign. The book includes poems about feminism, patriarchy, surviving violence and others on similar themes. They have been written by the students of Miranda House.
