July 25th is #orangeday: Take action for safer online spaces for women and girls

By Flavia Fascendini Publisher: APCNews     Pergamino,

What is #orangeday?

The Secretary-General’s "UNiTE to End Violence against Women" campaign proclaimed on the 25th of every month as Orange Day to highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls.

Under the heading "Safe spaces for women and girls," this year the UNiTE campaign is focusing its Orange Day activities on highlighting recommendations of the agreed conclusions of the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. "VAW that is committed, abetted or aggravated through the use of ICTs and in online spaces are part of the continuum of violence against women and is a significant barrier to women’s and girls’ ability to take advantage of the opportunities that ICT provide for the full realisation of women’s human rights and development," affirmed APC's Women´s Rights Programme back in March of 2013 through its Statement to the Commission on the Status of Women 57th Session, advocating in relation to violence against women and information and communications technology.

This month, the campaign highlights "Cyber Space as Safe Space for Women and Girls." What different forms of violence against women and girls occur online? How can we use new technologies to end gender-based violence? the campaign asks. In response, this Thursday, 25 July 2013, take action!

Tweetup on "#OrangeDay" and say NO to #violenceagainstwomen and girls in cyberspace!

Take action! What can you do?

  • Say no to violence against women and girls in cyberspace. Turn cyberspace orange for Orange day. Change your Facebook profile picture to the UNiTE campaign’s July 25th ribbon image, post pictures of yourself wearing orange, use and share the photo of the UNiTE Ribbon.
  • On Thursday 25 July 2013, the UNiTE campaign will host a Twitter discussion, along with other partners, around how information and communication technologies can be used to prevent and end violence against women. Join us. Share information about initiatives you know about. Invite others to do the same. Learn about innovative projects. Follow @SayNO_UNiTE, #orangeday, and @takebackthetech on Twitter.

Take Back the Tech! campaign is joining this action and will be tweeting to say no to violence against women and girls in cyberspace! Tweetup with us on #OrangeDay on Thursday, 25 July, 3am UCT and 3pm UCT.

Violence against women and girls is perpetrated in various ways online. At the same time, technology can offer critical tools to access services and to fight against violence against women and girls. Join us for a conversation on Twitter!

Hashtag #orangeday

@SayNO_UNiTE, @takebackthetech, @circleof6, @schemaly on Twitter

Some suggested tweets

What forms of #violenceagainstwomen & girls occur online? Join #orangeday tweetup, Thu 25/7, 8:30 am IST & 11 am EDT http://owl.li/nd23J

How can new technologies be used to end #violenceagainstwomen? Join #orangeday tweetup,Thu 25/7, 8:30 am IST & 11 am EDT http://owl.li/nd23J

Join #orangeday tweetup on #cyberviolence & tech as tools to end #violenceagainstwomen,Thu 25/7,8:30 am IST & 11 am EDT! http://owl.li/nd23J

#Orangeday tweetup on #cyberviolence, 25/7, 8:30 am IST & 11 am EDT w/ @SayNO_UNiTE @takebackthetech @circleof6app @schemaly http://owl.li/nd23J

Join the Stop Stoning Women campaign

A woman was stoned to death by her uncle and relatives on 11 July 2013 in Pakistan on the orders of Panchayat (a tribal court) for possessing a cell phone. Stoning is not simply a relic of the past. In 15 countries around the world, this brutal punishment and form of torture continues to exist in the here and now. This is the reason why Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) together with many other organisations are promoting the campaign called "Stop Stoning Women." They call for support their petition to the United Nations Secretary-General and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to heed this urgent call by openly denouncing the practice of executions by stoning as one of the most brutal forms of violence against women and as a form of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.

This is another action you can support during #orangeday, by signing the petition here or by joining Thunderclap in here.

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