Women’s rights advocates organize impromptu gathering in Rome to condemn gender-based violence

Annually on the 14th of February, the women’s rights collective One Billion Rising orchestrates dance protests to denounce gender-based violence and exhibit global solidarity for women and girls.

Renowned for their dance demonstrations worldwide, One Billion Rising amplifies awareness about gender-based violence.

This year, amidst a series of events hosted by the organization in Rome, 20 dancers and 50 students from Dante Alighieri High School performed a flash mob at the Spanish Steps.

Linda Foster, the event’s artistic director, emphasized, “Those who have suffered violence would like to erase their bodies. But through this joyful and powerful event, we say we must begin to listen to our bodies, as part of the solution.”

One Billion Rising coordinator Luisa Rizzitelli reinforced the significance of the occasion, stating, “Women today die more from the violence they suffer than from cancer or illness. Today we dance, we hear music and we get the youngsters involved to remember this has to be won, this is a battle we must win.”

Rooted in the late 1990s V-Day Movement and founded by Eve Ensler, author of “The Vagina Monologues,” One Billion Rising invites a billion women worldwide to rise, dance, and unite, demanding an end to violence, showcasing collective strength and global solidarity.

Since 2013, participants have convened on the 14th of February in streets and squares across 190 countries, dancing to the tune of “Break the Chain.” Choreography tutorials are available online for those interested.

According to One Billion Rising and the UN Population Fund, violence against women and girls persists as one of the most widespread and systematic human rights violations globally, transcending social, economic, and national boundaries.

_{Repurposed article originally published in Euro News}