Students, faculty and staff of the University of the Philippines in Diliman held its One Billion Rising 2016 event last February 12.
Themed “Escalating Revolution” this year’s commemoration marks the fourth straight year the university held its own program as its contribution to the global campaign against violence against women.
One Billion Rising was started by playwright Eve Ensler (Vagina Monologues) to call attention to reports that one billion women have been victimized by rape and other forms of abuse worldwide.
Women’s group Gabriela said that one woman or child is raped every 53 minutes and one woman is battered every 20 minutes in the Philippines.
The country is also one of the origins of trafficked women, Gabriela said.
The main One Billion Rising 2016 event will be held at Rizal Park in Manila on Sunday, February 14.