NGOs join ‘one billion rising’ campaign

GEORGE TOWN (Bernama) – Members of the Penang Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) and World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) joined the ‘One Billion Rising – Strike, Dance, Rise’ campaign, a global movement to end violence against women and girls around the world.

About 60 volunteers from the two non-governmental organisations (NGO) started off the event with a dance to the tune of ‘Break The Chain’, the campaign’s theme song, as a symbol of protest against the oppression of women and girls.

Activists cover their mouths while gathering in a flash mob for a campaign against sexual violence against women in downtown Singapore on February 14. Members of the Penang Women’s Centre for Charge and World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action also joined the ‘One Billion Rising – Strike, Dance, Rise’ campaign in George Town. EPA

“Violence against women and girls is unacceptable no matter what the excuse or circumstances, especially if it’s perpetrated by those who are supposed to protect us such as family members, friends or authority figures. It must be absolutely denounced,” said WCC vice-president Lalitha Menon to reporters.

‘One Billion Rising’ began as a call to act on the shocking statistic that one in three women on the planet would be beaten or raped during her lifetime.

Lalitha appealed to all levels of society to assist the helpless victims of violence by reporting the matter to the authorities.

WCC offers free counselling, temporary shelter and legal advice to women and girls facing such violent situations.