GC marks second year in One Billion Rising movement to end violence against women and girls
Gordon College marked its second consecutive year of participation in the global campaign One Billion Rising through a public awareness activity themed “Rise for our bodies, our Earth, our Future,” held at Ayala Malls Harbor Point on February 14.
The event brought together students and mall-goers in a collective call to stand against violence toward women and girls while promoting empowerment and social responsibility.
Established in 2012, One Billion Rising has developed into an international movement recognized for mobilizing communities across the world to advocate for the elimination of gender-based violence.
The initiative is grounded in global data from the United Nations indicating that approximately one in three women experience violence at some point in their lives, representing more than a billion women and girls worldwide.
The activity was led by the Institutional Planning, Development, and External Affairs (IPDEA) through the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Unit in partnership with the National Service Training Program (NSTP) and Ayala Malls Inc., with the goal of strengthening public awareness and encouraging community participation in the advocacy.
One of the program’s highlights was a flash mob performance by Pase Ballo and SHAPES, who led a mass dance to the One Billion Rising anthem, Break the Chain, symbolizing unity and resistance.
Mr. Joseph Atencio, head of the DEI Unit, emphasized that violence against women and girls does not only occur in public spaces but is often present within homes and personal relationships.
“Bukod sa awareness na gusto nating ipakalat, gusto nating maging mapagmatyag ‘yung mga tao. The purpose of One Billion Rising is truly to end violence against women and girls. There can be no sustainable development without women’s empowerment,” he remarked. | via Alyssa Marie Alcantara/The FOREFRONT
Photos by Ellisha Dawn & Angela Samson
