MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has renewed its fight against various forms of abuse against women and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community through a familiar dance campaign that has been existent since 2012.
Days before Valentine’s Day, CHR kicked off the local leg of the One Billion Rising – a worldwide movement that seeks discussions on the abuses women and those who have fluid sexual identities had to endure, through flash mobs or dance sequences in public.
According to CHR chairperson Chito Gascon, the campaign is important as it is a way to confront violence against women, and prevent abuse from becoming a normal occurrence.
One Billion Rising said one in three women worldwide will either experience being raped or beaten in their lifetime – a staggering one billion women and girls across the globe.
“We must always stand up versus all forms of violence. For as long as there is a single woman or girl subjected to violence, we should continue to stand up and push back,” Gascon said.
“Let’s always support the women’s dance of resistance in the One Billion Rising movement,” he added.
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READ: Filipinas join ‘One Billion Rising’ flash mob against domestic violence
The One Billion Rising campaign is not entirely new to Filipinos, as several local female icons like former General Santos Rep. Darlene Antonino Custodio, comedienne Mae Paner, and actress Pinky Amador have participated in the affair.
Aside from women’s rights, the group has also been involved in politics, calling for former President Benigno S. Aquino III’s resignation after the infamous Mamasapano massacre where 44 Special Action Force troopers were killed in a bid to arrest international terrorists.
READ: ‘One Billion Rising’ to Aquino: Resign now
READ: One billion women to rise on Feb. 14-Filipinos at the forefront, led by Monique Wilson
Meanwhile, film and theatre actress Monique Wilson – who is also One Billion Rising’s Global Campaign Director, led the “dance of resistance” at the CHR office in Quezon City on Monday. The event was attended by activists from Gabriela party-list, urban poor group Kadamay, and the Save Our Schools network.
She explained that there would be bigger dance programs on Valentine’s Day – the day One Billion Rising was founded.
“Leadership in many parts of the world contributes to misogyny. We are doing this to prevent violence against women from being normalized. Dance as an art is a powerful form of protest that connects the mind, body, and soul,” Wilson said in her message.