Women, children, and LGBT+ sector participated in the 10th anniversary of the gender-based global campaign One Billion Rising (OBR) to protest, dance, and rise for freedom from all forms of violence on February 11 at Quezon City Memorial Circle.
Gabriela Women’s Party, a national alliance of women’s organizations, spearheaded the event and conducted a wide-ranging mass action on freeing women from patriarchy, which has cultivated the society with oppression, exploitation, impunity, and violence.
OBR Global Director Monique Wilson relived the campaign’s breakthroughs in the past ten years. It was a decade of victories and change, rooted in collective calls and movements, that have transformed the lives of many for the better.
“10 years na tayong bumabangon. Marami na tayong victories. Marami na tayong nagawa. Marami ng transformations. Thanks to all legislative people and also sa consciousness, sa kultura, sa arts, sa education. Marami ng transformations talaga kung tutuusin,” Wilson expressed.
Among Gabriela’s legislative accomplishments were the Safe Spaces Act which defines all forms of gender-based sexual harassment and the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Law which addresses the occurrence of violence against women and children.
While the achievements marked a massive impact; however, Wilson unveiled that the violence still strives among women, youth, and the members of the LGBTQIA+ community. She affirmed that the campaign’s cause would reverberate and continue in order to achieve genuine freedom.
“Ang reyalidad ay nandito pa rin ang karahasan na nangyayari sa ating kababaihan at kabataan at lahat ng ating LGBTQ[IA+] na tinatawag nating gender-diverse people. Marami pa rin talaga tayong kailangan isayaw at ipaglaban at bumabangon pa kasi ang ating gustong makamit ay talagang a world that is free from violence kasi doon lang natin masasabi na mayroon tayong totoong freedom kung wala na tayong pinaglalaban na karahasan na nangyayari sa ating mga kababaihan,” she reiterated.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte also graced the stage to encourage people to continue the movement and protect the oppressed members of society.
“Sa araw na ito, sa ikasampung anibersaryo ng One Billion Rising, we will renew our pledge, let us renew our promise to protect our children, to protect our women, and to protect any member of society. Because we will not tolerate any form of violence in our city, and in our country,” Belmonte said.
 campaign’s cause would reverberate and continue in order to achieve genuine freedom against oppression, exploitation, impunity, and violence.){kind=link}