Latest Events
South Asia
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign that originated from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose November 25 as the International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10 as the International Human Rights Day -- the idea being to symbolically link violence against women and human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including December 1, which is World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.
Groups use the period of activism across the world to call for an elimination of all forms of violence against women. They raise awareness at the local, national, regional and international levels about gender-based violence as a human rights issue and strengthen programmes around violence against women.
This year, too, the ‘We Can’ campaign geared to bring to public attention the issue of violence against women and demonstrate the solidarity of women around the world organising against violence against women by hosting a series of activities in the six countries where the campaign is active.
Oxfam has made free resource offer for this occasion.
Please check http://publications.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam/activism.asp
Know more about past events here.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Activities Galore in March 2009
March 8 is celebrated as the International Women’s Day every year. This year 19 campaign allies In Bangladesh planned events from March 1-20 using International Women’s Day as a peg for its activities. During this period, the allies managed to mobilise 44,023 Change Makers.
The activities included: press conferences, rallies of people and vans, forming human chains, organising theme fairs, door to door campaigning, tournaments, displaying campaign posters on rickshaws, street theatre, folk dances, and display of posters and distribution of campaign literature.
Young Journalist Forum, Chittagong, Bangladesh
The Young Journalist Forum in Chittagong in Bangladesh has been associated with the campaign since 2007. Their efforts to raise attention on different aspects of violence against women through programmes in their educational institutions need special mention. They have managed to gather attention, support and participation of a cross section of people.
Women’s Club, Dinajpur, Bangladesh
Laila Arzumand, one of the member’s of District Alliance, in Dinajpur, Bangladesh has banded housewives in the area together to form a women’s club and unite under the banner of ‘We Can’. Started in 2007, the club has gained wide membership and allows women to discuss their problems within homes, families and the society without fear of being reprimanded or judged.
Sri Lanka
India
Mobile Van Programmes Gather Steam in Madhya Pradesh
Mobile van activities were promoted with enthusiasm to re-engage the one lakh existing Change Makers in the state. The mobile vans travelled across 29 district getting in touch with old Change Makers, engaging fresh Change Makers and reinforcing campaign messages.
Bihar Campaign Activities in Full Swing
The campaign activities are in full swing in the state's 25 districts. Around 4,334 clusters have been formed and there 22,3201 Change Makers in the state. Recently, around 200 volunteers have been engaged and each volunteer has an interaction with 10 clusters. The state also has managed to mobilise 700 connectors.
Lending Momentum to Phase 2 Activities
In India, the 13 state allies of 'We Can' are busy negotiating their way through Phase 2 activities. Selected Change Makers called Connectors are being trained so that they can take the campaign messages further and further through newsletters and other campaign communication materials and methods and deepen their own change. Mobile vans are being used in all state to lend visibility to the campaign. These vans have been active in the months of November and December 2009 in most of the states.
Gujarat 'We Can' Partners with Tata Indicom
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'We Can' messages appear on Tata Indicom Bills that reach lakhs of subscribers in Gujarat
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Balika Janmotsav: A Unique Experiment by We Can Allies
‘Balika Janmotsav’, a festival to celebrate the girl child has been launched in 12 villages of Barmer in Rajasthan by We Can allies
As part of the six-year, six-country campaign to end violence against women in South Asia titled ‘We Can’, a unique initiative ‘Balika Janmotsav’ has been launched in 12 villages of Barmer in Rajasthan.
Unparalleled Reach of ‘We Can’ Messages through Radio
Vikalp Sansthan , an NGO in Rajasthan active in the development of youth in the last five years and in the ‘We Can’ in the last two years, has taken the initiative to popularise the campaign through the use of radio.
Tamil Nadu: Going from Strength to Strength
‘We Can’ allies aimed to enroll 60,000 Change Makers between December 2008 and March 2009. Towards this end, they organised mass events, alliance meetings, door-to-door visits and also held ‘1000 Events’ functions calling upon a students, NGOs, government officials and people from excluded communities to attend.
The 225 alliance members came together in 18 districts of the state to push this agenda forward. A total of 216 events were held in these four months where each event managed to mobilise between 300 and 500 Change Makers.
Including Children in ‘We Can’
Children in 62 schools in seven districts of Tamil Nadu - Trichy, Dindugal, Theni, Chennai, Salem, Krishnagiri and Karur – have been involved in the campaign. The allies began by sensitising the school authorities and holding orientation programmes for them. They then began informal interactions with children through workshops, discussions and the use of street theatre, song, dance, puppets and art competitions. The allies say that the children are hugely motivated and thrilled to be part of the campaign.
Medley of Events in Orissa
A medley of events marked the campaign trail over 2008 and 2009. In July 2008, the campaign allies organised a meeting at Red Cross Bhavan for nodal and district partners with a core committee strategy meeting also thrown in.
Another nodal partner meeting was organised on 3 November 2008 and in the period that marks 16 Days of Activism, We Can Orissa launched the 1000 Events. On 27 November 2008, a state Level consultation was held on the Dignity of the Girl Child in partnership with UNFPA.
Campaign Activities in Jharkhand
Campaign allies have been active over 2008-2009 in 24 districts of the state organising seminars, meetings, public rallies, distribution of campaign material, organising street theatre. The period between 25 November and 10 December 2008 saw a spate of events and till March 2009, campaign allies say with the 1000 Events in full swing, they have been able to mobilise 73,520 Change Makers of whom 11,180 are dalits, 14,0073 are tribals, 10,165 belong to minority sections, 211 of them have disabilities and 37, 891 belong to the general population.
Events in Mohanpur Panchayat, Mograhat Block I, West Bengal
A mega event was held in Mohanpur Panchayat, Mograhat Block I, West Bengal, on December 13 to mobilise Change Makers. Existing Change Makers shared their stories with those who participated in the event and many stepped forward to become Change Makers.
A String of Campaign Events in Maharashtra
Around 450 alliance members are taking the campaign ahead in 33 districts of the state. They have managed to mobilise around 90,000 Change Makers. The concept of the 1000 Events has been popularised in all the districts and it is gathering momentum. In December 2008, seven regional meetings of core members were held; and 150 re-engagement camps for Change Makers were organised to reintroduce the concept of Change Makers in many places.
Campaign in Madhya Pradesh
The campaign gathers heat in Madhya Pradesh.
According to campaign allies, around 2,30, 936 Change Makers have been mobilised in 29 districts over 2008-2009.
Nepal
Door to Door Program Upstreams the Issue of Violence Against Women
Door to Door Program organized across different parts of Nepal created a great medium to reach out 98000 existing Change Makers around the country. 830 volunteer facilitators travelled 650 VDCs of 38 districts to reengage and reinforce the old changemakers and deepen the change and share the we can message and materials with them. The program also engaged the fresh changemakers to reinforce them against any kinds of violence against women.
The 'We Can' March, Nepal
The ‘We Can’ march in Nepal has been completed successfully. The march that began on November 4, 2009, culminated on the 11th of the month. The idea behind the march was to bring together three groups who were marching from the eastern, central and western region of the state to lend visibility and support for ‘We Can’.
National Change Maker Assembly, Kathmandu, Nepal
A three-day National Change Maker Assembly was held at Kathmandu from November 13 to 15, 2008. It was organised by the ‘We Can’ National Alliance Secretariat with the objective of providing a forum to Change Makers to share their experiences, achievements and challenges.
Sarada Pokharel, the coordinator of ‘We Can’ National Alliance Secretariat, chaired the assembly. The opening day was inaugurated by Rt. Hon. Subas Nembang.
Pakistan
National Change Makers Assembly in Bahawalpur, Pakistan
The first national Change Makers Assembly of Pakistan was held in Bahawalpur on March 28 and 29, 2009. It was jointly organised by Oxfam and the allies of ‘We Can’. More than 600 Change Makers from all over Pakistan participated in the event along with alliance members, university students, policemen and policewomen, doctors, lawyers, teachers and local folk artists.
Afghanistan
Minister of Women Affairs and Leena Alam Join ‘ We Can’
In a significant development, Afghanistan’s Minister of Women Affairs, Ms.Ghzanfar, has joined hands with ‘We Can’, promising to support its messages and activities in the country.
Revitalizing 'We Can' in Kabul
A coalition of 400 local organizations initiated a six-year long (2004 –2011) campaign called “ We Can End All Violence Against Women” or more popularly known as the “We Can” in Afghanistan. Nine alliance members from four provinces (Mazar, Parwan, Heraat and Jalalabad) held provincial launches during the 16 days of activism in 2006 and subsequently launched the campaign nationally on 18 July 2007 through a huge public event.