One in three women in the world will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. To put it in perspective, that’s one billion women and girls.
That is the grim statistic that compelled hundreds of Indonesian, Filipino, Thai and Nepalese workers to gather outside of City Hall on Sunday in a show of solidarity.
Photo: Adrian Lo
The event, dubbed One Billion Rising Revolution (OBRR), is the fourth of its kind. A global feminist movement, OBRR aims to bring the struggles of both local and international women to the fore.
Photo: Loryjean Yungco
Thousands of such “risings”, which occur from February until March 8, have taken place in hundreds of countries over the past four years.
Photo: Adrian Lo
Activist and playwright Eve Ensler and actor Monique Wilson, OBRR’s Global Director, were both in attendance.
Photo: Adrian Lo
Hundreds of foreign domestic workers were rallied across Hong Kong by the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMCB-IMA-HK) in order to “rise” in the face of violence against women.
Photo: Loryjean Yungco
The One Billion Rising Revolution event saw workers participate in a parade, give speeches, and perhaps most significantly, dance. Attendees joyfully gathered to perform a dance to One Billion Rising’s anthem “Break the Chain”, as a symbol of hope that violence can be defeated.
Video: Adrian Lo
Amongst their causes was the abolishment of the mandatory “live-in rule” which requires foreign domestic workers to reside with their employers, leaving them vulnerable to being overworked, under-rested, and sexually abused.
Photo: Adrian Lo
The “two-week rule”, or “new conditions of stay”, requires helpers to find new employers within two weeks after a contract’s termination, something which could deter domestic workers from leaving abusive employers.
Overstaying, on the other hand, could result in the deportation of migrant workers, many of whom are the sole breadwinners for their families.
Photo: Adrian Lo
“More debilitating,” AMCB-IMA-HK spokesperson Dolores Balladares said, “is the issue of overcharging by recruitment agencies.” Such fees can result in debts equal to five months of the average domestic worker’s salary.
Photo: Loryjean Yungco
The institutions, governments and policies that create such tribulations for migrant workers in Hong Kong will continue to be challenged, Balladares said. “Foreign workers will continue to demand justice, and to highlight the […] social injustices inflicted on women.”
Words: Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body
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