V-Day Annual Report 2015 | Page 14

ONE BILLION RISING The scope and the scale of the activities were vast, yet specific. One Billion Rising activists—including students, women’s groups, and groups rising in support of their communities, the environment, social justice and peace, LGTBQI, farmworkers, and domestic and migrant workers—reflected the expansiveness of violence against women issues that concern them locally, while also demonstrating the power of networking to leverage the global nature of the campaign. Eve Ensler and Monique Wilson traveled both together and independently to a series of One Billion Rising Revolution events in Brussels, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Paris, Philippines, Swaziland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. HONG KONG The campaign made a pronounced impact as Erwiana danced at the center of the rising. Last year, domestic and migrant workers rose for Erwiana and this year, after receiving justice in the case against her employer, she danced as well. MEXICO Organizers used the unifying power of dance to include a huge cross-section of the nation—from school children to politicians—to RISE for an end to violence against women and girls organizing events at over 400 schools across the country, at the pyramids, beaches and more. GUATEMALA Activists worked with the justice system to create laws that protect young girls from early childhood marriage and rape. CROATIA The Croatian president rose with activists in support of the widespread ratification of the Istanbul Convention, a measure to ban violence against women and support survivors of violence. ITALY In Rome, 400 taxis displayed‪ #1BillionRising Revolution anti-violence banners on their cars for 70 days. 14