SOUTHEAST ASIA — Today marks the final day of JASS Southeast Asia’s One Day, One Voice (ODOV) yearly campaign, which serves to amplify and unite the organizing initiatives of women across Southeast Asia, using the opportunity of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.
This year sees the celebration of its 10 year anniversary as this regional day of action continues to strengthen solidarity around common pressing concerns in the region. ODOV, a grassroots and frontline women-led effort, has served to put a spotlight on the issues that matter to Southeast Asian women. It also shows the power of grassroots women’s organizing in the region. Given the current context, this power is central to sustaining and empowering movements in the region.
Thousands of women from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste mobilised under the theme “People are the Solution” organising street protests, photo exhibits, murals, writing competitions, peace marches, online dialogues, panel discussions, Facebook live chats, Twitter rallies, and media events.
In Southeast Asia, feminist movement building has been instrumental in building the solutions we need and imagining a vision of radical change for the world to see.
In this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the critical leadership role that women have played in organizing for essential needs and survival in their communities, it brings into focus the brokenness of our systems while also demonstrating the power and potential of women’s organizing and movement building approaches to violence, inequality and injustice.
High quality photos from the different events can be found here.
QUOTE SHEET
The 10th year of One Day, One Voice marks our resolve to a vision of ending violence inflicted on women — particularly marginalized women in rural and indigenous territories, women peasants, women workers, and the LGBTQ+ communities. We want to remember and honor our dear sisters, friends, and comrades who have fought for this vision until their last breath including those who continue to build, organize, and struggle so we can all live in a world that is just, healthy, and life-giving. Zeph Repollo – JASS (Just Associates) Southeast Asia
One Day, One Voice means solidarity for women’s rights across countries in Southeast Asia. It’s also a reminder of why we are here in the movement in the first place. Our achievement is to recognize our collective power and to learn to take care of each other. Niken Lestari – Forum Aktivis Perempuan Muda-Indonesia (FAMM-Indonesia or Young Indonesian Women Activists’ Forum)
For a decade now, One Day, One Voice has served as an important space to highlight the common pressing issues faced by women of Southeast Asia who are defending their democratic rights to land, resources, jobs and wages, against discrimination, tyranny and authoritarianism. It is a platform to draw learning from each other’s initiatives and responses, giving rise to strengthened regional sisterhood solidarity to challenge existing structures of power and wealth. Cham Perez, Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) Philippines
For the past several years of the One Day, One Voice we continue to demand our government do their part, to protect our rights especially violence against women and girls happening despite the existing laws. These gatherings every year have helped us have a space and opportunity to embrace each other, understand each other, and show solidarity and encouragement to continue to fight for our rights, our children and our land. Amparo Miciano – Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK or National Rural Women’s Coalition) Philippines
One Day, One Voice has proven to be an amazing campaign to expand knowledge on feminism, on women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and other issues to the next generation. Significantly, CYWEN members become more confident and brave to speak up about our struggles and concerns to people around the world. Marin Pin – Cambodian Young Women’s Empowerment Network (CYWEN)
Written and compiled by: Hoda Baraka
