Orange, purple and work to end gender based violence

Women asked if I aint hear that we going to orange up the city and so , as part of the activities for 25 November, International Day to Eliminate All Forms of Violence against Women.

Another smart woman my age tells me of her near escape from an abusive husband and how even after she is divorced and living in a different country, she is still on the watch out.

Years ago when I had first got involved in the work, the colour was Purple, and there was a man in Canada who had started a White Ribbon campaign for Men against Violence Against Women.

I am not sure when the colour changed from purple to orange.

Monday afternoon though, a man who could drive stabbed a woman because he could.  Regardless of the colours, there is an underlying culture, reinforced, that women are lesser than men, and that it is a big li

Man who involved in Man's organisation said that he don't want gay men at the front of his organisation because homosexuality is 'antithetical' to manhood. So I ask him if manhood is about womanhood and he got into procreation story... and thinking of the man stabbing the woman who want to leave him and his manhood and how he not homosexual.. homosexuality is worse thing than man killing woman for many of the men who uphold manhood.

In the minibus coming home from school, and in the guise of 'culture', objectification of women continues and the lyrics and music and dances (black and coolie as I saw at a pre Diwali show when people were asked to give a standing ovation to a lil girl doing what I call big woman dance. (Never mind the two Diwali dates)

The days and so have importance, but the events run the risk of being tokenistic.. I mean.. how about massive burning all the billboards and advertisements which fuel the sexism that drive gender based violence instead of messages printed in the newspapers and broad cast on the media which carry the ads and the articles which are slanted at blaming the victim or reinforcing the sexism?

Burning as fuel that is...


How about really checking on the  budget which is available for public services across Guyana rather than promises and appeals for 'everyone to join hands and do more together'?

How about real accountability for all the police (and not just the good ones) and the justice system in its response to reports of gender  based violence? How about the protocols at the hospitals and health centres which should be available?

How about firing the Members of Parliament who have contempt for women?


It is so easy to do orange or purple.. one day or 16 days, but the changing of the attitudes, and the practices which continue to nurture gender based violence is difficult, so difficult.