New Westminster City Hall is adorned with orange to highlight the need to end violence against women and girls.
Along with agreeing to light up city hall in orange lights, the City of New Westminster has proclaimed Nov. 25 to Dec. 10 as Orange Days: Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls.
“Cities around the world have been lighting up buildings in orange as a symbol of a brighter future. Iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids and the Empire State Building in New York have been orange to join this advocacy,” said Gail Mullan of the Greater Vancouver Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN). “We thank New Westminster for joining this for the last five years and, this year, for lighting city hall in orange.”
Mullan said Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody are taking a similar action in an effort to raise awareness about the plight that too many women and girls face.
“The COVID pandemic has increased violence against women and girls to the extent it is seen as a shadow pandemic,” she said. “We have seen evidence of this in our province, our country and in the news from around the world. The time to act is now.”
Mullan, speaking at the Nov. 28 city council meeting, offered some ideas on ways folks could support the issue – during the campaign and beyond.
“Wear orange during these 16 days and talk about the issue,” she said. “If you see something, say something. Support safe houses, and rape relief and counselling services. Educate our men and boys on the issue.”
According to Mullan, GRAN is a non-profit and nonpartisan society consisting of volunteers across Canada who advocate to improve the human rights of grandmothers of vulnerable children and youth in Sub Saharan Africa. She told council that the group also partners with Canadian and global organizations to convince more Canadian government organizations or funders to support policies and programs that improve human rights and gender equity.
The Orange the World: End Violence Against Women and Girls campaign began in 1991.
“It is 16 days of activism from Nov. 25 — UN International Day to end gender based violence against women and girls — through to Dec. 10, which is UN Human Rights Day,” Mullan said. “Canada's Dec. 6, which is the day of remembrance of the violence done at Polytechnique in Montreal falls during this time.”
According to Mullan, the overriding issue in all of the violence is gender inequality.
“Gender equality needs to be established everywhere,” she said. “We are urging all cities to see that a gender equality policy is instituted at the city hall as part of this awareness of the issue, as Vancouver city has done.”
Coun. Nadine Nakagawa, wearing an orange T-shirt at the council meeting, thanked Mullan for raising the issue. She said it’s an issue that should be continually discussed.
“You're absolutely correct that this was an issue that we heard a lot about during the pandemic, that there was increases in the rates of violence against women and girls,” she said. “And of course, we still have a crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in this country, and two spirit people as well.”
The City of New Westminster’s proclamation states that the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based violence is a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls and notes that orange is used as a uniting theme during the 16-day campaign. The proclamation says that violence against women and girls is pervasive around the world, including Canada, and creating worldwide awareness and calling for adequate, sustained resources will help find solutions that put an end to gender-based violence.
“I think this is an important reminder why proclamations are helpful and encouraged, sometimes,” said Coun. Ruby Campbell. “I think it brings awareness to these issues that otherwise don't get discussed.”
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