UN Women is calling individuals across the Pacific to wear the color orange on 25 November 2013 and take action as part of a growing global movement to create a world free from violence against women and girls.
UN Women Solomon Islands presence will be joining this action by wearing orange, and encouraging others to do so, for the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign on November 25th –the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
“Across the world, people are mobilizing to stop the abuse of women and girls,” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said.
“This is no longer just the concern of women’s organizations. More and more people realize that gender-based violence is everybody’s problem and that everybody is responsible for stopping it,” Mr Ki-Moon said.
The global theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in 2013 is “Orange the World”, which focused on wide participation from all sectors in organizing national and local “Orange Events”.
This is to raise awareness about violence against women and create a symbolic vision of a positive future free of violence against women and girls.
To realize that vision, engaging young men and women for the creation of equitable and non-violence norms and relationships is essential.
The Orange Day call to action began during the Global UNiTE Youth Forum, a gathering of youth activists who met in Bangkok in May 2012.
Over 50 youth from around the world, including participants from the Pacific, proposed the global initiative to wear orange on the 25th of every month to raise awareness about the issue of violence against women and girls and to bring attention to this global pandemic.
Violence against women and girls in Pacific countries is among the highest in the world.
National violence against women prevalence research in the region shows that up to 68% of Pacific women are reported to be affected by physical or sexual violence by a partner in their lifetime.
“Wearing orange on the 25th of every month is a symbol for the actions each individual takes every day to end violence against women and girls – it is about how individuals live this commitment,” said UN Women Ending Violence against Women Specialist, Melissa Alvarado.
“This movement has quickly gained attention and popularity, and now schools, churches, community groups, workplaces, are all organising actions on the 25th, wearing the color orange, to show solidarity with ending violence against women and girls.”
UN Women invites individuals and organizations to email their Orange Day action photos to Ms. Anne Rehagen, [email protected], to show how they are making this public statement.
