Acharya S.P.Dwivedi
The Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships (NEVR) organization joined activists of 217 countries around the world, to host the One Billion Rising Revolution on 23rd February,2017 at the Surrey City Hall Atrium in Surrey. It is a global movement founded by Eve Ensler to end rape and sexual violence against women and girls. It is a biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history. It was started 2012 as part of the Valentine’s Day(V-Day) movement. One “Billion” refers to the UN statistics that “one in three women will be raped or beaten during her life time”.
Since its very inception, people have come together to express their outrage; strike, dance , and rise in defiance of injustices women suffer. It aims to eradicate violence against women, change the paradigm, improve justice system and fix the accountability. It is cultivating new kind of consciousness towards women and focusing on issues related with marginalized women. This movement has also highlighted the impunity that lives at the intersection of poverty, racism. war, and the plunder of environment. Obviously, a radical shift in consciousness is required to bring the change. People have to rise and take up action to end violence against women and girls. This is not a women issue but a global crisis thus we all have to work in eradicating violence against women in our own communities.
Dr. Balbir Gurm ,the chair of NEVR and coordinator of this year’s event, with support of her team members, arranged an awesome programs that included video on One Billion Rising, All Nations drum group presentation, break the chain dance, Colleen Williams, Karen Sidhu’s violence story; and the impressive speeches of Dave Woods- Acting Mayor, Balbir Gurm, Dwayne McDonald -Chief Superintendent of RCMP and Laurie Larsen- Vice Chair of Surrey School Board. The opening ceremony was performed by Kevin Kelly and Michael-Gabriel Kelly of the Kwantlen First Nations. Manjot Gill and Konnor Mitterer emceed the function. More than two hundred people participated and expressed their solidarity with the movement..
