Risings are taking place through 8 March, #InternationalWomensDay. Over a hundred cities in Italy, Poland, Germany, and the Philippines respectively are Rising. Every state in India. Over 500 V-Day Risings in the United States. Grassroots and global, led by youth, survivors, artists, and activists, who determine how and why they rise, with and for their communities.
One Billion Rising is the biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history. One Billion Rising activists worldwide mobilize, engage, awaken and join people across the planet to end violence against all women and girls. 1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS.
Every February, we Rise – in countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face. We Rise through dance to express joy and community and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We Rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.
The rise of misogynist, authoritarian regimes the world over – from the United States to the Philippines, India to Brazil – has recalibrated work of the movement, further escalating the urgency with which we feel compelled to fight for gender, climate, economic and racial justice.
Activists are Rising up, through artistic and political resistance actions to end rape, battery, incest, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, sexual slavery and trafficking, child marriage, femicide, sexual, gender and reproductive oppression, violence towards LGBTQIA+ communities.
RAISING THE VIBRATION through action, art, connection, imagination and love.
This is what it looked like…
Manila, Philippines –
Students, faculty and workers at St. Scholastica College dance for One Billion Rising.
Source: Move.PH (Photo Credit: Lisa Marie David/Rappler)
Lumad youth rising and dancing, taking the Raise The Vibration call
College youth activists from Filipino universities organized and mobilized hundreds of students and allies for their creative resistance actions to end violence against women and girls.
Quezon, Philippines
Students, activists, and allies took to the stage at University of the Philippines Diliman.
Iloilo, Philippines
Iloilo Science and Technology University
Zambales, Philippines
President Ramon Magsaysay State University
New York, US –
The fabulous Jagged Little Pill on Broadway stood up and rose with One Billion Rising / Un Billón de Pie Mexico in the fight against violence. Jagged Little Pill is based on the music of singer Alanis Morissette, and gives voice to a generation of young women who realize they don’t fit in traditional gender roles and learn to embrace themselves.
Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy
Cape Town, South Africa –
OBR South Africa raising the vibration by organizing a self-defense event with women’s leadership from different organizations and businesses, and Fight Back SA. “If they don’t protect us, we will attempt to protect ourselves and our children,” said OBR South Africa coordinator Lucinda Evans. “It is our 365 day pledge to protect ourselves. It has to become our lifestyle.”
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Lucinda Evans, One Billion Rising South Africa Coordinator)
Tilburg, The Netherlands –
Youth rising, students from College Jozefmavo danced among hundreds of dancers, rising for women’s rights.
Photo Credit: @2collegejozefmavo
Hong Kong –
One Billion Rising activists gathered in Hong Kong for this year’s campaign calls for migrant workers rights and to end extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.
Photo Credit: Sheila Tebia/One Billion Rising Hong Kong Coordinator
Castellana Grotte, Italy –
Activists dance Break the Chain at One Billion Rising Castellana Grotte.
Photo Credit: One Billion Rising Italia
Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh –
Indigenous Youth Rising in Bangladesh, dancing to raise the vibration and demanding an end to violence against women.
Rathenow, Germany –
Activists of all ages raise the vibration in Rathenow on 14 February, bringing their energy to the forefront and dancing to end gender based violence.
Photo Credit: Stinknormale Superhelden
Spoleto, Italy –
Activists raised the vibration in Spoleto, Italy with a Break the Chain dance flashmob in the streets – creatively raising awareness for One Billion Rising and rising in solidarity.
Photo Credit: @Ealloraditelo
Guatemala –
After the One Billion Rising event at the Holocaust Museum in Guatemala, One Billion Rising Guatemala gathered activists, community members, and allies to change the conversations, raise the vibration, and demand changes in culture and politics that sustain gender based violence.
Photo Credit: Marsha Pamela López Calderón, One Billion Rising Central & South America Coordinator
Delhi, India –
Forty Delhi based anti gender violence organizations came together to raise their voice and celebrate their solidarity. Activists and allies performed the Hindi version of the Chilean chant “A Rapist In Your Path” at the One Billion Rising event in Delhi.
Photo Credit: One Billion Rising Delhi
Zagreb, Croatia –
A few moments from One Billion Rising action in Zagreb, capturing activists and community members coming out in solidarity for women and girls who have survived violence, increasing xenophobia and fascism in Europe, and the climate catastrophe.
Photo Credit: Rada Boric, One Billion Rising Balkans Coordinator
Davao, Phillippines –
Lumad youth rising! The Sabokahan Unity of Lumad women organized a One Billion Rising creative resistance action to rise in solidarity against abuse.
Photo Credit: One Billion Rising Philippines, Grace Mahinay
Maldives –
In the Maldives, the Creative Action Institute teaches girls about the V-Day and One Billion Rising movements and creative actions they can take to spread awareness of gender-based violence.
Photo Credit: Creative Action Institute
Myanmar –
Youth rising! The Gender Studies Center in Yangon organized a One Billion Rising event, gathering youth, to rise for justice and rise to end violence against children and women.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Naw Aye Myat Kyi)
Bihar, India –
One Billion Rising Bihar saw nearly 3,000 participants from different districts, villages, and towns to the Patna Women’s Rights March as participants came together and called for an end to exploitation, inequality, and violence.
Photo Credit: Sahyogi Ngo
Hamburg, Germany –
One Billion Rising Hamburg took to the streets to dance, raise the collective energy, and demand an end to violence against women and girls.
Photo Credit: @novembersynje
Chiang Mai, Thailand –
At Chiang Mai Pride, V-Day Thailand, Sangsan Anakot Yawachon Development Project organized a rising led by Jum Verrawan and youth volunteer Siriwan to call for advancing LGBTQ and human rights by addressing the root causes such as patriarchy, fundamentalism, globalization, and militarism.
Photo Credit: Sangsan Anakot Yawachon Development Project
Bertou, Cameroon –
After launching the One Billion Rising campaign in Bertoua in December, today One Billion Rising activists in Cameroon went to the Nana Bouba Foundation College in Yaoundé to raise awareness amongst young people about violence against women. They also explained to young people that they are implicated in the fight against all forms of violence, which they themselves are not spared from.”
Photo Credit: One Billion Rising Cameroon
Norwich, UK –
Norwich Rising! At the Forum, activists gathered together for the 8th year in a row to raise the vibration. The Commonlot Choir performed “I Will Survive” for Norwich, catalyzing their creative resistance.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Ann Nicholls / One Billion Rising Norwich)
Lhuntshi, Bhutan –
All over Bhutan, youth have risen in Bhutan to call for an end to gender based violence. Here, One Billion Rising activists of Lhuntshi, Bhutan rise in solidarity.
Photo Credit: TP Bhutan
Kolkata, India –
The Lotus Child Project at the Chaulgola Center in Kolkata hosted a rally, mobilizing community members together to raise the vibration, celebrate their solidarity, and change the culture surrounding gender based violence.
Photo Credit: Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre – Loreto
Savignano, Italy –
Savignano residents took to the streets for a flash mob, showing their creative resistance in their dance. It was organized by: Levi Institute of Vignola and Centre i tigli of Savignano.
Photo Credit: Comune di Savignano sul Panaro
Kogarah, Australia –
One Billion Rising in Kogarah takes shape as an event at the Kogarah Community Services at the Library Courtyard. Allies, activists, and community members come together to bring awareness to the plight of gender based violence in Australia.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Gerald Tye Photographic Journalist)
Steyr, Austria –
More than 350 people gathered in Steyr, Austria and raised the vibration by dancing to end violence against women and girls.
Photo Credit: @Playmosteyr
Swaziland –
Activists, domestic workers, allies, and their families rallied in Simunye, Swaziland over this year’s call to end rape culture and protect women and girls from violence.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Colani Hlatjwako, One Billion Rising Africa Coordinator)
New York, US –
Women workers, activists, and allies gathered in New York to demand that Governor Cuomo include restaurants in the $15 minimum wage. One Billion Rising, One Fair Wage, and twenty-five plus other groups staged a public self-defense training.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Kisha Bari)
Kenya –
OBR Kenya recognizes that children are vulnerable and are more at risk of being exposed to all kinds of gender based violence. It is important for children to be aware, recognize these dangers, and know how to take action should the need arise. Activists raised the vibration this year at their ‘Rising Through The Eyes of the Children’ in Kibera.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: One Billion Rising Kenya)
Toronto, Canada –
Toronto One Billion Rising activists and the World Sikh Organization raised the vibration by preparing care packages for women and children in shelters.
Photo Credit: @jagbirkaur
Togo –
One Billion Rising Togo coordinated events all over the main cities of Togo, collaborating with local non governmental organizations and authorities. This year, Togo is rising against rape particularly and they launched their activities with a screening of a documentary called Silence Brisé (Broken Silence) followed by a discussion about concrete steps people can take to stop rape.
Photo Credit: OBR Togo
New Orleans, US –
Since 2012, a group of New Orleans based One Billion Rising activists called Sisters in the Name of Love, sponsored by Ashé Cultural Arts Center, have raised the vibration this year by creating an event that offers empowerment and movement for women which includes discussions, music, story circles, and more.
Photo Credit: Ashé Cultural Arts Center
Nigeria –
OBR Nigeria comes together with community members, activists, and allies to put an end to violence against women and girls and bring awareness to the climate crisis.
Photo Credit: OBR Nigeria
Poland –
Almost 70 cities in Poland raised the vibration for an eighth year in a row, dancing and protesting against violence against women. The slogan of this year’s action in Poland: ‘Only YES means consent. Sex without consent is rape.’ It will sound everywhere we are!” – Make a statement, RISE!
Photo Credit: Marek Krupecki, OBR Poland
Harare, Zimbabwe –
Hundreds gathered in Harare, bringing their creative resistance to the forefront as they spread awareness about violence against women and girls.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: One Billion Rising Zimbabwe)
Manila, Philippines –
Defend Jobs Philippines joined One Billion Rising, showing their solidarity and rising for civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights for all women and girls. In the Philippines, working class and poor women bear the burden of high prices for basic commodities and services. Defend Jobs Philippines is calling for an end to this practice and rising for the basic rights of women against all abuse.
Photo Credit: Defend Jobs Philippines
Democratic Republic of Congo –
OBR Congo, City of Joy staffer and Congolese women’s rights activist Jane Mukuninwa, activists, allies, and community members gathered in Congo to raise the vibration to denounce all forms of violence against women and girls. Congo rose against hegemony, patriarchy, climate change, materials plunder, and massacres and kidnappings in Beni.
Photo Credit: Patrick Buhahano, OBR Congo
Dharamshala, India –
The Jagori Rural Charitable Trust organized the Dharamshala One Billion Rising creative action in collaboration with women and youth from the different parts of the district. This year, a Run for Peace was organized around the town and 500 women came from all over the district to participate.
Photo Credit: One Billion Rising India
Chicago, US –
Elgin Community College in Chicago hosted their annual One Billion Rising: The Long Red Line event. Students, staff, and activists listened to first-person accounts of rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence in an effort to educate and advocate for an end to gender based violence. In what has become a tradition, the event ended with everyone linking red scarves to express solidarity.
Source: The Courier-News (Photo Credit: Rafael Guerrero / The Courier-News)
Byron Bay, Australia –
Byron Bay ROSE for the 8th year in the row to express solidarity with One Billion Rising through dance, despite predicted cyclonic conditions.
Source: Echonetdaily (Photo Credit: Tree Faerie)
Odisha, India –
Photo Credit: Sneha Misra
Berlin, Germany –
Hundreds came out to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin as a group of dancers, activists, and allies took to the stage and performed Break the Chain to raise the vibration to end gender based violence.
Tokyo, Japan –
Tokyo Rising! A mixed group of students who study Japanese dance and theatre production joined together and choreographed a dance to Break the Chain in order to express solidarity with One Billion Rising and the people who suffer from gender based violence. Watch the dance here!
Photo Credit: Midori Okuyama
Mexico –
Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico
Hundreds march in the streets of Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico for the Walk of Peace, to raise the vibration to end violence against all women and girls.
Full Gallery (Photo Credit: Andres Naime, One Billion Rising Mexico Coordinator)
Sinaloa, Mexico
Cancun, Mexico
Toluca, Mexico
South Korea –
The East Asia Ecotopia joint print project created dancing women through block printing, which they will weave together for their rising on 8 March, International Women’s Day.
Photo Credit: @dalibom.book
