Women migrants hold One Billion Rising

One Billion Rising is the biggest dance mobilization to end violence against women (cisgender, transgender, and those who hold fluid identities that are subject to gender-based violence) in human history. The campaign, launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.

This year’s One Billion Rising campaign is celebrated with a theme: Raise the Vibration, Rise for Revolution. The said theme located itself in the midst of a rising tide of right-wing nationalism, white supremacy, fascism, tyranny, xenophobia, misogyny, femicide, homophobia, transphobia, corporate greed and climate destruction.

OBR as a women’s campaign brings issues and aspirations of women and people at the national level. And migrant women take part in this campaign. In Hong Kong, despite the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), foreign domestic workers, women activists, human rights and justice advocates observed health protection measures as they commemorated the OBR. Organized by the Asia Migrants Coordinated Body (AMCB) together with local and migrant organizations, OBR Hong Kong highlighted the vulnerability of women, both local and migrants, especially in the time of the COVID-19. While poor women had to contend with high costs of food and protective materials like surgical masks, toilet paper and alcohol, women migrant domestic workers experienced discrimination and labor-relevant violations such as deprivation of rest day.

Various women migrant organizations from South Korea, Taiwan and Australia, to name a few, are set to hold their respective OBRs during the International Women’s Day (March 8).