Are you letting enough orange into your life? You may have noticed more people than usual dressed in the vibrant colour over the past week as part of the UN’s initiative to ‘Orange the World’.
It’s all part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, which runs every year from 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until Human Rights Day on 10th December.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of and speak out against gender-based violence and violence against women and girls around the world to effect change. In a show of support, many important landmarks and historic sites have been lighting themselves up orange. On 25th November, for example, the Berlaymont building in Brussels, which serves as headquarters of the European Commission, was lit up in orange to symbolize the continued focus on ending violence against women.
Closer to home, Nottingham has lots going on over the next week for you to get involved with. Show your solidarity by wearing orange and visiting the Market Square on Friday, 2nd December at 4.30pm to watch as Nottingham Council House is lit up in a spectacular fluorescent colour. The Sheriff of Nottingham will attend the switch-on in support of our work against abuse and gender-based violence.
Additionally, the University of Nottingham’s Human Rights Law Centre has organised a panel discussion on 6th December at 6pm to raise awareness about gender-based violence and the effect changing policies can have on victims.
The panel will be chaired by Professor Aoife Nolan, Co-Director of the Rights and Justice Research Priority Area and Professor of International Human Rights Law, with local expert on domestic violence Ms Jane Lewis appearing as a guest speaker. The event will be held at Highfield House and requires an RSVP to register your attendance.
Apart from that, expect to see lively activists dressed in orange all over the city to support our calls for an end to gender-based violence, including on the orange bus routes in Nottingham, which include the 34, 35 and 36 buses.
You can get involved too. Organise something orange, raise money to support the campaign, go to school or work dressed in orange. Bake some orange cakes. Organise a paintballing event to support the campaign using orange paint. The options are endless! You’ve got 16 days. Share it using #orangetheworld and tagging @equationorg on Facebook or Twitter.