On 14 February 2014, the heart of Europe beats against violence against women and for justice!
FESTIVE EVENT IN BRUSSELS
12 pm: Place Poelaert in front of the Palais de Justice, Brussels.
One in three women in the world will be raped or beaten during her lifetime, meaning one billion women. In Europe, 7 women die every day of domestic violence. In Belgium, in 2011, 4083 rapes were recorded, amounting to more than 11 every day. But officials estimate that 90% of sexual violence crimes are not reported.
“Justice begins when we speak, release, and acknowledge the truth in solidarity and community. The ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE is an invitation to break free from confinement, obligation, shame, guilt, grief, pain, humiliation, rage, and bondage.” (Eve Ensler, V-Day founder)
In Belgium, the “One Billion Rising Brussels Europe” Platform, comprising women’s associations and volunteers, is contributing to this worldwide movement and proposes a festive and lively event, free and open to everybody, in the heart of Brussels, the heart of Europe, on Friday 14 February.
Schedule:
• 11:45 h Corteges: Three corteges will leave from place Louise, place Sablon and place Lepee, and go to Place Poelaert in front of the Palais de Justice. Each cortege will bring a red suitcase filled with testimonies of women victims of violence
• 12h: Gathering of all corteges in Place Poelaert, the three red suitcases will be brought to the podium
• 12.15h: Explanation of the One Billion Rising Campaign and the action of the day
• 12:20 Flash-mob on EWL song « Rise up, Stand up! »
• 12:45 p.m. until 13:15 p.m. Delegation: A delegation representing each association participating in OBRussels will meet the procurer to exchange about this issue and ask for a better justice, in the Palais de Justice
• Grass band, live music and an acrobatic spectacle
• Public action: people will have the opportunity to report their experiences writing down their report and testimonies down on red hearts available. Their testimonies will be brought to the red suitcases in the podium.
• 13:45h: Flash-mob “Break the chains”
• 13:55h: Close of the event, closing the suitcases
Opportunities for interviews:
• Viviane Teitelbaum, President of the EWL and of Conseil des Femmes francophones de Belgique (CFFB)
• Magda De Meyer, President of Nederlandstalige Vrouwenraad (NVR)
• Isabelle Durant MEP (tbc)
EWL member organizations from all over Europe are also participating to One Billion Rising, being part of a great movement demanding a Europe free from violence against women. The EWL has been regularly asking the EU to act and take measures to end this pervasive violation of women’s rights. One Billion Rising will be a key momentum to reiterate the demands of the women’s organizations and challenge decision-makers at all levels.
Join us and show to the whole world, through music and dance, our force and solidarity across borders!
One Billion Rising is a worldwide initiative proposed by V-Day and aiming at mobilizing people all around the world, at Saint Valentine’s Day, to dance and sing in order to speak up against violence against women and girl.
For more information, you can:
• visit EWL website : www.womenlobby.org
• go to EWL Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/European-Womens-Lobby/169340673246
• Go to One Billion Rising Brussels facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/579571622132273/
• Follow EWL through Twitter : @EuropeanWomen @VDay – #rise4justice – #OBRussels14 – #EndVAW
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For more information, interviews, background or visual materials, please contact:
• Elvira Buijink, EWL Media and Communication Officer, buijink@womenlobby.org, +32 02/210 04 40, +32 (0)496 86 48 26
• Irene Rosales, EWL Policy Officer, rosales@womenlobby.org, +32 02/210 04 25, +32 (0)479 49 61 64
• Colette De Troy, Director of the EWL Observatory against violence against women, detroy@womenlobby.org, +32 (0)2/210 04 24
Note to editors: The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the largest umbrella organisation of women’s associations in the European Union (EU), working to promote women’s rights and equality between women and men. EWL membership extends to organisations in all 28 EU member states and three candidate countries, as well as to 20 European-wide organisations, representing a total of more than 2000 associations.
More information: www.womenlobby.org
