Looking forward to this year’s campaign, the One Billion Rising Global coordinators have written to share their Rising plans with the global community. Each region, nation, or city interprets the global call to highlight and focus local issues while continuing to connect their risings with the overarching social injustices inflicted on women, root causes of violence and systematic changes that must take place for long term change to be realised. The Rising plans reflect the radicalizing nature of the One Billion Rising Actions: Enlarging, Deepening and Expanding the Revolution.

Here’s what the Coordinators had to say:

Bangladesh
Coordinated by Khushi Kabir

Bangladesh has several initial One Billion Rising plans. We plan to contact five educational insititutions, the Asian University for Women, who have done the Vagina Monologues previously, Holy Cross or Viquarunessa, and one in  Dhaka colleges/university, one all boys schools for mid to low income groups to participate in  “One Billion Conversations” on 2 December. On the 13 February, we will organise 5 trucks, decorate them with One Billion Rising banners, slogans etc. Have artists, well known faces, feminists women and men, singers, performers distributed in each truck, which will follow 5 routes ending in an open space where there will be performances, discussions, ending with Dance!  On the 14th we will have street painting like last year and performances. More details will come after our meeting on the 6th of this month.

 

Central & South America
Coordinated by Marsha Pamela Lopez Calderon

Guatemala:
Launching activity on 11 Oct at the Third Girls Festival

Costa Rica:
Launching activity on 14 oct with INAMU (National Women Institute)
University La Paz

Nicaragua:
Launching at the Women Festival of Hip-Hop on 17 Oct
University La Salle

Chile:
Launching activity at the meditation workshop Friday 16 Oct
Casa La Serena

Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay and Dominican Republic are not holding launch activities, instead will participate in a media tour with the 2016 One Billion Rising action information and promoting it in their social networks.

 

Gambia
Coordinated by Isatou Touray

October 2014
Conduct regional consultation with circumcisers
Radio series: conversations on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights titled “Whose Bodies Matter”?
Launching of One Billion Rising: Rise for Revolution 2016

November 2014
Dropping of the knife: One Billion Rising public declaration by 30 circumcisers and 107 communities in the Niamina districts in the Central River Region. Prelude to OBR 2016. The ceremony will be colorful, Rhapsodic, revolutionary and collaborative. Capture the “we” syndrome. Speeches from various sectors Pictures of cutters sitting on a mat and discussing, followed by singing and dancing to be supported by OBR/V-Day

Engagement with youth in schools, to escalate youth rising; target to include GAMCOTRAP “V” girls, Talented Youth Organization; Young People without borders; Women Journalist Association (WOJA)

Continuous rehearsals for “Break The Chain” OBR/V-Day

December 2014
Rising for the marginalized and the unseen in the greater Banjul Area: to include refugees, and differently-abled persons
Rising with Singjang and Ziguinzor Communities of Cassamance Senegal & Guinea Bissau

Feburary 2016
Zero Tolerance Day

One Billion Rising Revolution Global Rising in Buffer Zone park. Artist will be rising- e.g. Amina Conteh and others; music revolution using “break the chain” in three local languages people from different works of life to engage with trained team. Speeches and self-expression of all.

March 2015
Symposium-“State of Women’s Panel”: Effective participation of women in leadership and decision making; closing the gender gap at the National Assembly/Parliament. Discussions with religious scholars – Christian and Muslim on religion and women’s leadership, and with youth on the role of youth in defining development with focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights .

Mother Earth Rising- discussions around Eco-feminism vs the patriarchal destruction of mother earth.
Workers Rising- this will consist of people from different works of life including officers, auto-mechanics, various drivers, masons, gardeners, National Women Councilors, nursing mothers/working mothers, fish mongers, firewood vendors,
“Sister’s Campaign the missing woman – Say Her Name” Campaign. Rising to get people to talk about the wars in Syria, Congo, Yemen, Israel etc.

 

India
Coordinated By Abha Bhaiya

On our launch day 29 Sept , which is also THE GLOBAL WOMEN’S CLIMATE JUSTICE DAY OF ACTION we shall focus our programs on the issues of Climate Change. Let’s bring together grassroots activists, indigenous leaders, business leaders, farmers, scientists, policy makers, academics and artists on the issue. In India, Climate Justice is inseparable from Economic Justice for our farmers and throughout the movement, let’s strive to have their voices heard.

BUILDING MOMENTUM: As we have been doing the past few years, let’s strive to incorporate the themes of Climate Justice and Justice for Marginalized Population within the various mobilizations our organization organize across the period October 2015-Feb 2016. Some Important Days of Actions which can be Dovetailed with out partner organizations’ One Billion Rising plans for 2016 are : WORLD HABITAT DAY, INTERNATIONAL DAY OF NON VIOLENCE (Oct 2), INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD (Oct 11), INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (Nov 25), SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN’S DAY (Nov 30th), HUMAN RIGHTS DAY (Dec 10)

V-DAY : 14 February, 2016

The grand culmination of the 6-month long mobilization we will have done. Plan ahead for a grand event that brings together the communities we have been working with on a Nation Wide event to say a UNANIMOUS NO to OPPRESSION OF ALL KINDS. We stand up together yet again, IN SOLIDARITY, AGAINST VIOLENCE on that day.

 

Italy
Coordinated By Nico Corradini 

In 2015, Italian risers were more motivated and committed and we saw an incredible increase of students and young people.The use of dance, music and drumming was more “free” and dragging energy all over streets and squares.The 14th February is an unforgettable occasion to harvest energy passion connections and new vision, for this country, a catholic country, and the entire World!

The theme of “REVOLUTION” in 2016 has a new issue: refugees. We would like to meet women and listen and write their stories. We want to invite all communities to write to their local authorities a short letter that explain why One Billion Rising supports refugees, the connection between violence and freedom, the importance of sisterhood, the importance of taking care each other. We’ll have a slogan and a same action everywhere in the World. We will invite refugees to dance in their traditional dance, different ways. Some choreographers are preparing a new choreography “Break the chain”

Dance is Art!

Dance is the energy for CHANGING THE WORLD!!

 

Miami
Coordinated by Marya Meyer

One Billion Rising Miami continues at the grassroots heart of Miami’s monthly Freedom From Violence meeting, now convened monthly by Women’s Fund of Miami, joining public and private sector, individuals and organizations in a vibrant exchange of information, resources and support. We are participants in the Human Trafficking Coalition, joined ONE on 24 September for Global Sustainability gathering, marched for an end to Domestic Violence with Safe Space, V-Men Rising and much more, collectively demanding revolutionary improvements in our community and across the globe, now!

We will celebrate a ONE BILLION VOICES panel on Thursday, 10 December, 2015, International Human Rights Day. This panel seeks to give voice to the most marginalised; voices that are seldom heard. For the Miami panel, we plan to focus on voices of youth on topics including: survivors of sex trafficking, the foster care system, and online revenge porn from members of communities such as LGBT, immigrant, students with disabilities and representatives of abused youth. Creative revolutionary expression will be provided by youth in a photography/film exposition, dancing and spoken word.

In January we are partnering with Miami Dade County’s Coordinated Victims’ Assistance Center for a Human and Sex Trafficking Awareness event at Florida International University. Also please stay tuned for plans for a limited run of V (formerly Eve Ensler)’s powerful new short play, Avocado, followed by discussion panels with key community change-makers. And the Risings will culminate in January/February with High School students participating with students at institutions of higher learning in dynamic, participatory presentations and panel discussions on critical issues of sex trafficking, domestic violence and body sovereignty.

 

New Mexico
Coordinated by Jessica Montoya

One Billion Rising Revolution plans for New Mexico began on Saturday, 26 September, 2015 with Tewa Women United as they hosted their 19^th Annual Gathering for Mother Earth, for the first time on tribal sovereign land, San Ildefonso Pueblo. A local teacher will lead a revised version of “Break the Chain” during the day of Gathering for Mother Earth while dancing on dirt (barefoot if so moved) there will be arts and crafts, music, performers, and various alternative healing modalities to experience. During the evening from “100,000 Poets for Change” performed in Pojoaque Pueblo. A Full-Moon ceremony was held. On Sunday, 27 September there was a fire and a sacred space before the annual Relay Run in Pojoaque Pueblo startied at 6am and ended at noon.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and as One Billion Rising New Mexico will support and participate in various events at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and Northern New Mexico College along with the Santa Fe Community College. We have a local advocate and survivor, Tanya Romero who is heading a project called, “Metamorphosis” where she will assist survivors in making plaster masks of themselves while transforming and understanding life after abuse.

November will begin the 16 days of activism and we plan on gearing up our social media presence heavily to reach all the rural parts of the state. We will travel through the various counties North to South lighting “farolitos” and dancing to “Break the Chain” and on 2 December we will hold, “Revolutionary Roundtables” or “One Billion Rising Conversations” and join the rest of the world with bringing the most marginalized voices to the center of our community and the world.

We will harness this energy and continue community conversations around the state along with the movement of dance, the message of addressing the roots and intersections of violence against women and girls. On 14 February we are hoping to request the Mayor of Santa Fe donate the Santa Fe Plaza to a day of resource sharing, women honoring and violence prevention. We will have artist representations throughout the city and the state ranging from photography, dance, theater and poetry.

 

Peru
Coordinated by Jason Day

We hope to become the largest and most efficient network of activism in Peru in the fight against violence and abuse against women and girls, while maintaining the artistic/cultural identity that characterises One Billion Rising.

We seek to contribute in the development of organisational spaces, called Local Circles of Action, from which to exercise citizenship, democracy and respect, promoting the construction of communities that work together to define and pursue specific
objectives that bring us closer to ending violence against women and girls.

We want to foster a social network that promotes conscious activism and contributes to the development of agents of change.

To achieve this we have developed an operating plan that includes the following three main outcomes of the project and corresponding activities:

Outcome 1: Sensitize citizens about gender violence join in discussion and analysis, establishing and promoting democratic values.

An introductory workshop to work on the objectives developed by each Local
Circle of Action and to analyse the best ways in which to generate social change
within their communities. An overall assessment will be conducted upon
completion and the agreements reached will be monitored to ensure compliance.

A National Summit to promote the sense of belonging, strengthen evaluation and
planning capacities and ensure long-term commitment. Key participants of each
Local Circle of Action will be invited to participate in the National Summit where
we will evaluate the first phase of the project (July 2015 – March 2016), analyze and present lessons learned and examples of best practices.

Outcome 2: Organize citizens at the local and regional level and develop initiatives to end violence against women and girls.

A strategic planning workshop to facilitate the development of a detailed work
plan for each Local Circle of Action. Through the workshop we will deliver the first
technical planning tools, share updated information on the subject and relevant past experiences/approaches, evaluate existing networks and resources in place and plan the implementations of each local initiative.

A monitoring and evaluation process tailored to the work plan of each Local Circle of Action that will facilitate sharing technical resources or practical advice along the implementation.

A communication strategy designed to raise awareness about the work of each
Local Circle of Action, to increase engagement of other communities and to
position the theme of violence against women and girls in the center of the public
agenda. As part of the strategy, key public figures will accompany each Local
Circle of Action throughout the process as Circle Ambassadors to, among other
things, ensure media coverage and positioning.

Three communication campaigns on key dates: 25 November, 14 February, and
08 March, to call citizens and communities to action around the fight against
gender violence, using artistic and cultural means that characterise One Billion Rising.

Stage V (formerly Eve Ensler)’s new theatrical piece, Avocado, in 5 regions of Peru. This will be done though a strategic alliance with renowned Peruvian theatre director, Chela de Ferrari, and co-produced with a local theatre company, La Plaza. The aim is to promote One Billion Rising ’s message while strengthening the artistic identity of the campaign and to raise funds for the Local Circles of Action. Additional local funds and sponsorship will be sought to achieve a high quality production that, among other things, allows for the participation of distinguished artists in regions that do not usually have this access.

On February 14, 2016 each Local Circle of Action will hold an event to publicly
share the progress of their initiative.

Outcome 3: Establish a platform to interconnect the Local Circles of Action and facilitate the transferring of tools/knowledge.

A capacity building workshop to strengthen management and communication
capacities, reinforce knowledge on gender violence and other relevant issues.

An online platform to encourage continued communication with and among Local Circles of Action, and through which to share a technical, administrative,
managerial, communication tools

 

Philippines
Coordinated by Gabriela Alliance of Filipino Women

One Billion Rising Philippines began the next phase of their Rise for Revolution campaign highlighting the plight of Indigenous women and girls. Last August 8th, OBR Philippines held a Rising event in Davao City, at an evacuation camp housing three indigenous tribes who have been forced to flee their villages in the mountains because of mining and environmental plunder from foreign multinational companies, and heavy militarisation deployed by the Philippine government to protect the corporations. The tribes have fled because of harassment and rapes by military forces, killings of their leaders, grabbing of their ancestral lands and access to natural resources, shutting down of their schools, and forced recruitment of their boys. The tribes are demanding justice and Rising for Revolution, and this event begins a long nationwide campaign to #stopkillinglumads (stop killing indigenous) as part of the OBR Philippine Revolution campaign.
Another aspect of the OBR Philippine Revolution escalation is the “Free Our Sisters Free Ourselves” campaign – a campaign against political persecution and repression of women activists and human rights defenders in the Philippines.It serves as a platform to generate international support for the defense and freedom of women human rights defenders and to raise public awareness on the dire human rights situation in the country and the oft-neglected plight of women political prisoners.
Last October 1st to 4th – Gabriela National Alliance of grassroots women’s groups and the Gabriela Women’s Party officially launched One Billion Rising Revolution with a series of events that saw a gathering of the Gabriela national leaders from all around the country, as they planned the escalation of the campaign.

For 2016 One Billion Rising Revolution PHILIPPINES will once again have massive nation-wide Risings leading up to and on February 14th, led by the GABRIELA NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WOMEN’S GRASSROOTS GROUPS – peasant women, women farmworkers, women migrants, women domestic workers, church women, youth, children, teachers and women workers. The OBR task force group is made up of mass based organisations – Migrante, Kilusang Mayo Uno, National Union of Students of the Philippines, Gabriela Youth, Ecumenical Church Forum, Salinlahi Children’s Alliance, Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA), Center for Women’s Research, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Lila Pilipina Comfort Women, Samakana Urban Poor Women, among many others. This year’s Rising events will once again feature the new One Billion Rising Revolution Philippines song – “BABANGON NA SA REBOLUYSON (“Rise For Revolution”) – with a new dance. The Rising events have already begun in the Philippines, and will continue to escalate throughout the 16 days of Activism, and through several international conferences and assemblies taking place in the Philippines of which Gabriela and the entire OBR task force group will actively be engaged in: The International Women’s Alliance (IWA) Assembly: November 11/ International Migrants Alliance (IMA) Assembly: November 12 and 13/ and the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS) International Conference: November 14, 15, 16.

The theme of One Billion Rising Revolution Philippines is THE RIGHT AND THE FIGHT FOR ALL WOMEN TO ACCESS THEIR POWER – in particular, their economic power.  And to do this the campaign will continue to overhaul, challenge  and fight against a corrupt system and government that neglects the poor and only serves the rich, big business people and foreign corporations. Filipinos are RISING TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS – BY RISING AGAINST ALL THE SYSTEMS THAT KEEP POVERTY, DISCRIMINATION, OPPRESSION AND INEQUALITY IN PLACE.

Filipinos are RISING FOR REVOLUTION – RISING AGAINST ALL FORMS OF ECONOMIC and STATE INSTIGATED VIOLENCE.

 

South Asia
Coordinated by Kamla Bhasin

We have two additional full-time coordinators in Bangladesh and India, Khushi Kabir and Abha Bhaiya respectively. In the other countries there are several partner individuals and organizations who have been organizing One Billion Rising activities for the past three years. This arrangement will continue this year.

One Billion Rising South Asia will launch on 02 October, 2015 in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the presence of women and men from nine countries.

Planning with 40 women from Asia will be done for One Billio Rising 2016 during the Sangat one-month-long course on feminist capacity building. From October onwards planning meetings and events will be organized in different countries of South Asia. The focus will be on working with children, youth, men and women. Excluded communities and Mother Nature will be another focus of One Billion Rising here. Artists will be involved and encouraged to create songs and dance, street theater etc.

Big events will be organized in February with V (formerly Eve Ensler) and Monique Wilson with us in Nepal and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka we propose to work with the newly elected national government. The Prime Minister made a video statement last year to support One Billion Rising.

In Delhi, our partner Manas, is continuing gender sensitization of Auto Rikshaw and Taxi Drivers. About 85,000 Auto Rickshaw drivers have been sensitized and over five thousand Taxi drivers. Another 45,000 Taxi drivers will be sensitized in the coming months. Another program is being launched next week to sensitize 1,000 Marshals who have been appointed in public buses to stop violence and harassment of women and girls. Our slogans can be seen on thousands of public vehicles in Delhi.

We are working towards many events all over South Asia in the coming months, culminating on 14 February, 2016

 

Swaziland
Coordinated by Colani Hlatjwako

Our Theme: “Women and Girls Leading the REVOLUTION for Peace and Justice”

Our approach emphasises healing and recognises the inherent goodness in everyone. We are committed to changing the social values and structural factors that perpetuate violence against women and girls by promoting a spirit of interdependence, mutual respect and co-existence between women and men. Our Rising this year will include:

Youth Rising: We believe that young people must infiltrate all structures of decision making to expand their spheres of influence through active engagements with community leaders.

Artists Rising: though there are people doing the arts in Swaziland, women in the arts industry are not taking a leading roles in key arts position. Apart from that we have not seen women in the arts advancing women and gender issues in a meaningful way. The idea therefore is meant to encourage young girls and women in the arts to take the key and leadership positions in the arts industry, and to be proactive and vibrant on issues affecting women in Swaziland through the use of the arts.

Rising with domestic workers

Rising for women and men

The following activities will be implemented: 

Day of the Rising of the Marginalised- December 2015
Panel discussion will include:
Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVCs)
People Living with disabilities
Grannies
Rural Women
Domestic workers
Widows

Rising with the Marginalised: ARTISTIC MARCH -During 16 days of Activism
Marching with the marginalised, calling for enactment of the sexual offences and domestic violence bill into law

On 14 February we will have three activities all in one day, which include: an Artistic March, a School Revolutionary dancing competition and, Revolutionary Conversations. We will start with a march in the morning which will lead to the dancing arena for the School dancing competition and in the evening it will be REVOLUTIONARY arts festival and REVOLUTIONARY Conversations.

One Billion Rising Swaziland will be partnering with a number of organisations and institutions in the country and we also invite more entities to join the campaign. In October 2015 One Billion Rising will partner with Women and Law in Southern Africa-Swaziland in the National Women’s Dialogue.

United Kingdom
Coordinated By Lynne Franks

Partner with local MP’s, local media, MTV and others for a national social media campaign for teenagers to love and respect themselves and their bodies.

“One Billion Conversations” to be launched alongside above partnership in communities across the country.

Partner with new political party WE on a national “stopping sexual violence campaign” including co-ordinating with women’s grassroots organisations and networks across UK.

One Billion Rising drumming/dancing routine by Tom Morley, to be distributed through social media to schools, young people aimed at 14 Feb.

Theatre Festival organised and produced by long time V-Day Vagina warrior Tessa Hart with One Billion Rising theme for 14 Feb

Short film on the Love Revolution continued to be produced for Feb launch – Dan Nathan/Sophie Mollins

One Billion Rising event at WOW (Women of the World) Festival at the Southbank London on March 8th.

Zimbabwe
Coordinated by Nyasha Sengayi

National theme: The Revolution Explodes

Zimbabwe, in preparation for its 2016 rising event has adopted its national theme as – The Revolution Explodes. Our rising will be premised on the objectives highlighted below.

Zimbabwe will be rising from a central location in the city of Harare. Thus, a lot of grass root mobilisation is going to be done running up to the rising from the Launch date on 5 October. In wake of this, a communication strategy for sending out information through Radio, television, social media and print media will be sent out so that more and more communities participate in the rising from the central location. The rising will also continue to expand its network of partners in preparation for the rising in 2016.

The key timeline and description of the rising activities is shown below:-
Youth Rising: Harnessing Young Peoples energy to demand for change.
Men Rising: Including men in the fight
Artistic Uprising: Raising the Artist’s Voice for Revolution
Minority Group Rising: Revolution for Invisible Voices

October, 2014:
Launch of the One Billion Rising 2016

Launch event in Harare –Artistic Launch , Poetry Night at Pamberi Gardens

November, 2014: 
16 Days of Activism : 16 Days of Revolution

Tweet telling of Women’s Violence Stories on Twitter with the support of young feminists Active on Twitter. Campaign to run under Hashtag – #HerRevolutionZim 

December, 2014:
16 Days Artist Uprising Concert in with different sectors to Rise with . We will also dedicate a dance for Syrian Women on the day and circulate the Flash mob Dance Video for the Women of Syria.

Bringing Avocado to Zimbabwe in Harare, Community. Two performances in Harare and one in a rural setup.

February 2015
The Rising 14 February 2015

March 2015
International Women’s Day