The South Asia One Billion Rising was launched on 19th September, 2016 at Tewa, Dhapakhel by leading feminist Kamla Bhasin, South Asia Co-ordinator of OBR along with leading feminists from South Asia and feminists from Nepal. OBR is a movement celebrated worldwide in more than 200 countries to raise voices against violence against women.

THE 2017 CAMPAIGN

1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. Every February, we rise – in hundreds of countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face.  We rise through dance to express joy and community and and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE RISING IN SOLIDARITY AGAINST THE EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN.

The event was celebrated collaboratively with active participation of civil society members of Nepal, students, Sangatee participants, feminist leaders and resource persons running  a one-month Sangatee course at Tewa. There were more than 500 participants at the event. The program was facilitated by Bhagawati Adikari from Mahila Ekata Samaj and Jyotsna Maskey from LOOM Nepal.

A dance was presented by 35 Sangatees representing 12 countries, which demonstrated the empowerment of women and the changing social context where women are leading and coming out.

During the occasion, leading feminist activists of Nepal, Hon. Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and Bandana Rana who has recently been elected as member of UN Convention on Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) were honored.

The first recipients of the Sangatee Grants Awards initiated by Nepali feminists and civil society organizations to recognize individuals and organizations working in the field of women, feminism and  excluded communities were also announced during the event. Women for Women Forum (WOFOWON), an organization  working for the rights of women working in the entertainment sector was awarded in the organization category with an amount of One Lakh Fifty Thousand Rupees. Likewise, Badri Pun – working for the rights sexual minority groups  and Nirmala Kumari Gupta – working for the Badi community, were awarded the Sangatee Grant for individuals. They each received Fifty Thousand Rupees from the individual category.

The Meeto Memorial Award that is given to young feminists in South Asia every year, was awarded this year to Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, the first person from Sri Lanka to climb Mount Everest and Wasfia Nazreen, the only Bangladeshi to have climbed the seven highest peaks in each continent.

The South Asia celebration of tributes, solidarity and celebration concluded with some cultural events – Slam Poetry by Word Warriors Yukta and Ujjwala with their stellar performance. A dance was performed by a young feminist Manushri Newa, which was followed by songs from Dr. Suman Thapa. The program concluded by OBR flash mob dance which was led by Mahila Ekata Samaj and WOFOWON and participated by all present.