ORGANIZER’S GUIDE

If you have questions you can contact us, however before you do please take a look at the below guide first as your questions might already be answered here.

DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD THE TOOLKIT >

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

• What is One Billion Rising For Justice?
• When is One Billion Rising For Justice?
• Why justice? Why 14 February?
• IN CANADA: Why 8 March?
• Why “One Billion”?
• Why should I join?
• Why dance?
• Why “Release”?

ORGANIZING YOUR EVENT

• What are the guidelines to produce a One Billion Rising For Justice event?
• How should I RISE?
• Where should I RISE?
• What should my first steps be?
• How does my organization join?
• How do I edit my event?
• How do I pay for this?

BREAK THE CHAIN – Anthem

• Is “Break the Chain” the same this year, or will it be different each year?
• Is “Break the Chain” free to use?

RISINGS & V-DAY EVENTS

• What is the difference between a V-Day benefit event & a One Billion Rising For Justice event?
• How do I sign up for a V-Day benefit event?
• If I’ve signed up for One Billion Rising For Justice, am I authorized to stage “The Vagina Monologues”?
• How/where do I share the plans and results of my event?

GLOBAL COORDINATORS

• What are Global Coordinators?

LOGOS & MERCHANDISE

• Am I allowed to use the One Billion Rising For Justice Logo on my advertisements?
• Can I create my own merchandise?

ONE BILLION RISING 2013

• What was One Billion Rising 2013?

HOW TO’s:

• Document & Stream Your Rising > (coming soon)
• Organize A Flash Mob > (coming soon)

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

Q. WHAT is One Billion Rising For Justice?

A. ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE is a call to women, men, and youth around the world to gather safely on 14 February 2014 outside places where they are entitled to justice – court houses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings, work places, sites of environmental injustice, military courts, embassies, places of worship, homes, or simply public gathering places where women deserve to feel safe but too often do not.

LEARN more at “The Campaign” >

Q. WHEN is One Billion Rising For Justice?

A. One Billion Rising for Justice will take place on Friday, 14 February 2014, EXCEPT in Canada, where events will take place on Saturday, 8 March 2014. Q. Why Justice?
 A. Many of our supporters wrote to tell us that this year they wanted to go further, to go deeper, to address impunity and the lack of accountability as significant factors in the perpetuation of violence against women. The path to justice begins with acknowledging how violence is enabled and perpetuated – calling out where endemic patriarchy and institutionalized misogyny creates a barrier to real justice for survivors. One Billion Rising For Justice will focus the worlds’ attention on the issue of justice for all survivors of gender violence, and on ending the rampant impunity that prevails globally.

Q. Why 14 February?

A. V-Day was born on 14 February 1998. In the past 16 years, tens of thousands of V-Day events have taken place all over the world, raising funds and awareness for local groups and organizations working to end violence against women and girls. At V-Day we have the outrageous idea that we can end violence against women, and though we have seen many victories over the years, the violence is still prevalent and impunity still reigns. One Billion Rising for Justice is a necessary escalation in our global efforts to end the violence.

Q. IN CANADA: Why 8 March?


A. In Canada the Annual Women’s Memorial March for The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, which has been taking place for twenty-two years, is held every 14 February to honor and grieve for the thousands of women who are still missing or who have been murdered. We deeply respect the Women’s Memorial Marches and are asking all of our One Billion Rising Canada organizers to NOT DO their Rising events on 14 February. Instead we are asking you to hold your One Billion Rising events on 8 March, International Women’s Day. Please visit www.womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com to learn more about the Women’s Memorial Marches and how to support.

Q. Why “One Billion”?

A. One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That is one billion women. In 2013, one billion women and men shook the earth through dance to end violence against women and girls. This year, on 14 February 2014 we are calling on women and men everywhere to harness their power and imagination to rise for justice.

Q. Why should I join?

A. Because your voice matters. Because we need to show the world the power of global solidarity in demanding justice for all women and girls, to be able to end the violence against them.

Q. Why dance?

A. Dancing insists we take up space. It has no set direction but we go there together. It’s dangerous, joyous, sexual, holy, disruptive. It breaks the rules. It can happen anywhere at anytime with anyone and everyone. It’s free. No corporation can control it. It joins us and pushes us to go further. It’s contagious and it spreads quickly. It’s of the body. It’s transcendent.

Q. Why “Release”?

A. Our stories have been buried, denied, erased, altered, and minimized by patriarchal systems that allow impunity to reign. Justice begins when we speak, release, and acknowledge the truth in solidarity and community. One Billion Rising For Justice is an invitation to break free from confinement, obligation, shame, guilt, grief, pain, humiliation, rage, and bondage.

ORGANIZING YOUR EVENT

Q. What are the guidelines to produce a One Billion Rising For Justice event?

A. Make sure you and everyone involved are signed up at onebillionrising.org. Organize a gathering in your community on 14 February 2014. Make it as large and disruptive as you can to highlight the urgency of our demand. Beyond that, the possibilities are endless. There are not set rules. Envision what justice looks like to you and to your community, and go from there!

Q. How should I RISE?

A. One Billion Rising For Justice is a call to survivors and their allies to break the silence and rise in any way you feel best represents the releasing of your story and the call for your justice. You can rise politically, outrageously, artistically – through dance, art, marches, ritual, song, spoken word, testimonies, and other ways that best express your outrage, your need, your desire, and your joy. Make your Rising your own.

Q. Where should I RISE?

A. One billion rising for justice is a call to rise outside places where YOU are entitled to justice. This can be anywhere from court houses to your place of employment; police stations to your own home; places of worship to school administration buildings, or even simply in a public gathering space. Regardless of the location, it is vitally important that you gather safely so please research the specific rules, laws, and potential permits needed for a public gathering in the location of your choice.

Q. What should my first step be?

A. Sign up at www.onebillionrising.org and then gather your team. Reach out to other organizations and strategize how you will all mobilize your networks. Find like-minded members in your community to help you create a memorable event.

Q. How does my organization join?

A. If you are joining the campaign as an organization and want to host a RISING, please email Monique Wilson (monique(@)vday.org), and include your organization’s name and contact details.

Q. How do I edit my event?

A. If you already have an event listed but need to change information, go to the events page and click on “manage your events.” You will need to sign in using the email address and password you created when initially listing your event. You will have the ability to edit your event title, description, location, date and time. You will not be able to edit your account/profile name.

Q. How do I pay for this?


A. One Billion Rising for Justice events don’t have to be expensive. We don’t need money to take action and create change. However, we recognize that funds are needed for venue hire, publicity, materials, etc. If you need to raise money, look for local resources whenever possible. Appeal to local businesses to donate their time and services to the cause. Work cooperatively, create strategies using social networks or crowd sourcing to co-finance. Work with collective ideas or hold fundraising events leading up to One Billion Rising for Justice.

BREAK THE CHAIN – Anthem

Q. Is “Break the Chain” the same this year, or will it be different each year?

A. “Break The Chain” is still the anthem for One Billion Rising events this year, however we are ALSO encouraging all countries and communities to write your own Rising songs using your cultural sounds, instruments and languages.

Q. Is “Break The Chain” free to use?


A. “Break The Chain” is free to use from V-Day and One Billion Rising – but you will have to check local laws on licensing for your specific country to see if that applies.

RISINGS & V-DAY EVENTS

Q. What is the difference between a V-Day benefit event and a One Billion Rising For Justice event?

A. An official V-Day event is a benefit production of “The Vagina Monologues” or one of five other artistic events curated by V-Day. These events take place annually between February and April. A One Billion Rising For Justice event is a single-day global action occurring on 14 February 2014 (or 8 March for Canada). Every 2014 V-Day event will promote One Billion Rising For Justice, and we encourage One Billion Rising activists to sign up to host a V-Day event.

Q. How do I sign up for a V-Day benefit event?

A. You can apply to organize a V-Day benefit event at the V-Spot. Once a member of the V-Team contacts you with the go ahead, you will gain access to the scripts and many other organizer materials to help you bring a V-Day benefit event to your school or community.

Q. If I’ve signed up for One Billion Rising For Justice, am I authorized to stage “The Vagina Monologues”?

A. No. You must apply separately to host a V-Day benefit event and be granted the rights to “The Vagina Monologues.” Fill out an application by going to vspot.vday.org

Q. How/where do I share the plans and results of my event?

A. You can share them on the global site: onebillionrising.org – or if your country, city or community has One Billion Rising for Justice social media pages – you can share it there!

GLOBAL COORDINATORS

Q. What are Global Coordinators?

A. ONE BILLION RISING Coordinators are activists around the world who are engaging their communities, their cities, their countries, and their regions to be a part of One Billion Rising For Justice. As long-time activists and V-Day organizers working to end violence against women and girls, they have the skills, the networks and the ability to help guide local organizations, individuals, lawyers, unions, alliances, and networks in their efforts to be part of the campaign. Most coordinated efforts in their countries and regions for One Billion Rising 2013. These Coordinators, together with their network groups, took the lead in their own countries and communities on how to envision and implement the campaign and did an outstanding job of highlighting their local contexts within the campaign. Please be in touch with them to help you strategize, create and promote your One Billion Rising For Justice campaigns.

LEARN more & MEET our Global Coordinators >

LOGOS & MERCHANDISE

Q. Am I allowed to use the One Billion Rising For Justice Logo on my advertisements? 


A. YES, though it is not mandatory please consider using the One Billion Rising for Justice logo on all of your materials. You are able to add your own city/ country to the logo.

Q. Can I create my own merchandise?

A. YES! Merchandise is available in most areas through our One Billion Rising For Justice Online Spreadshirt Store, however in many cases it will be cheaper for you to print merchandise locally.

DOWNLOAD print quality logos here >

ONE BILLION RISING 2013

Q. What was One Billion Rising 2013?

A. One Billion Rising was the biggest mass action in human history. The campaign began as a call to action based on the staggering UN 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. On 14 February 2013, people across the world came together to strike, dance and rise in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women. Over 10,000 events took place on the ground and the campaign took over media and social media worldwide for 48 hours, trending in 7 countries – 4x in the US alone. Media from all corners of world, including The New York Times, The Guardian, NPR, and many more, covered the wildly successful grassroots campaign.

LEARN more: In 2013, We Shook The Earth, See What One Billion People Rising Looked Like Here >