V-Day Annual Report 2013 2013 | Page 28

AFTER THE RISING One Billion Rising 2013 was the beginning of the new world ignited by a new energy. It was not the end of a struggle but the escalation of it. One Billion Rising became the world’s defiant and celebratory collective response to demand an end to violence against women. IMPACT Governments, politicians, and renowned figures from around the world, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, First Lady of Nepal, the Mayor of Lima, the Prime Minister of Australia, the President of Croatia, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Los Angeles City Council, British MP Stella Creasy, Vice President of the European Parliament Isabelle Durant (Belgium), Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee joined the campaign. One Billion Rising galvanized and empowered legislators to generate legislation in support of ending violence against women – and demanding that pro- women legislation be the priority of governments and international councils – from VAWA in the United States, to the introduction of legislation for national sex education in schools in the UK, to protesting national policies that allow local and foreign militarization that affect women in the Philippines, to the European Parliament voting on the resolution on “Elimination and Prevention of all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls.” 26 ONE BILLION RISING GAVE BIRTH TO?A GLOBAL SOLIDARITY Reigniting unanimity between women’s organizations in various countries and rekindling the ethos of sisterhood amongst women on a global scale. It became a venue to show strong cohesion among women and men around the globe – allowing national and international barriers to fade away. It mobilized creative energy across all nations – linking artists, women’s groups, young people, grassroots women, legislators, writers, activists – and where artistic and creative initiatives were born.