‘Orange Day’ to launch sixteen days of female activism in The Bahamas

Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie Sharon Griffin (centre) addresses members of the media during a press conference to launch National Women’s Week which will be observed November 24-30 in The Bahamas. Also pictured at left, Ms. Marisa D. Mason-Smith, President of the Zonta Club of New Providence and Chairperson of the National Women’s Advisory Council and at right, Mrs. Barbara Burrows, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Services and Community Development. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)

NASSAU, The Bahamas — Officials of the Ministry of Social Services and Community Development, the Department of Social Services, the Bahamas Crisis Centre, the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, the National Women’s Advisory Council and the Zonta Clubs of The Bahamas have joined forces to launch a national “Say No to Violence Against Women” Campaign.

The launch will take place Monday, November 25, in Rawson Square, under the banner of Orange Day to coincide with the global celebrations of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The launch also serves as a major focus surrounding the observance of National Women’s Week, November 24-30.

‘Orange Day’ is expected to compliment a national education and awareness campaign that has been developed to tackle violence against women in The Bahamas and is also in keeping with a call from United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, for 16 days of activism towards combating violence against women.

The Secretary General’s Campaign –  HYPERLINK “http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/” UNITE to End Violence Against Women – has proclaimed the twenty-fifth of each month  HYPERLINK “http://endviolence.un.org/orangeday.shtml” Orange Day. Among other actions, the Orange Day invites participants to wear something orange to highlight its calls for the eradication of violence against women “without reservation, equivocation or delay.”\

This year, the UNITE Campaign is extending Orange Day to 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, starting November 25, International Day to End Violence Against Women, through December 10, Human Rights Day.

United Nations figures show that up to 70 per cent of women globally experience violence in their lifetime. Thousands of Bahamian women, have this year, been negatively impacted by some form of violence.

Officials say “intimate partner violence” in particular, carries a high cost with it. The cost of intimate partner violence in the United States alone, for example, exceeds $5.8 billion per year: $4.1 billion is for direct medical and healthcare services, while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion.

“I am delighted that the two Zonta Clubs in The Bahamas – namely the Zonta Club of New Providence and the Zonta Club of Nassau – and The Bahamas Crisis Centre, are special partners with the Bureau of Women’s Affairs and the National Women’s Advisory Council for National Women’s Week,” Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie S. Griffin said.

“The Zonta Clubs will lead the charge for 16 days of activism towards combating violence against women and the wearing of orange ribbons in continuation of its ‘Say No’ efforts. I applaud their efforts, along with those of The Bahamas Crisis Centre and the Bureau of Women’s Affairs of my ministry as we join forces to say a loud and resounding ‘No’ to violence against women and girls.”

Mrs. Griffin said organisers of National Women’s Week have also planned a “Say No to Violence” Fun Run/Walk, which will precede Orange Day on Saturday, November 23, as a part of the efforts to bring greater attention to the scourge of violence against women/girls.

Organised by The Bahamas Crisis Centre in partnership with the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, the Zonta Clubs of New Providence and the Urban Renewal Commission, the walk will depart Montague at 6am Saturday and travel to Shirley Street, onto Church Street, to East Bay Street ending back at Montague.

National Women’s Week will officially commence on Sunday, November 24, with a Church Service at Grant’s Town Wesley Methodist Church, Baillou Hill Road and Chapel Street, at 11 a.m. in New Providence and the Central Zion Baptist Church, Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama at 10 a.m.

Orange Day will be held the next day, followed by the screening of the documentary “Womanish Ways, Human Rights, Freedom and Democracy and the Galleria Cinemas, Mall-at-Marathon and RND Plaza.

The activities will continue on Wednesday, November 27, and will include addresses by former Bermuda Premier Dame Jennifer Smith at a session at the College of The Bahamas; a luncheon for female Parliamentarians and a Women’s Summit scheduled to be held at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.

Dame Smith will accompany Minister Griffin and a delegation to Grand Bahama the following day where they will meet with female students in Grand Bahama, including those attending the PACE Programme. Dame Smith and Mrs. Griffin will also address women of Grand Bahama at a special luncheon at the Pelican Bay Hotel.