Orange your day – End violence against women in the workplace

The 25th of every month is an Orange Day to end violence against women and girls.

On the 25th of each month, join the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign and orange your day! Here are some ideas for how to observe the day. What will you do?

The UNiTE Campaign is highlighting recommendations from the agreed conclusions of the 57^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in the framework of ‘safe spaces for women and girls’. This month the focus is on ‘Safe Work Places for Women and Girls’.

Three action ideas from UNiTE

ACTION 1: Call on companies to support the Women’s Empowerment Principles

In particular, ask them to:

• Establish a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of violence at work, including verbal and/or physical abuse and prevent sexual harassment.
• Train security staff and managers to recognize signs of violence against women and understand laws and company policies on human trafficking, labor and sexual exploitation.
• In consultation with employees, identify and address security issues, including the safety of women travelling to and from work and on company-related business.

ACTION 2: Find out what policies are in place at your work place or university

Do they fulfill the recommendation in the Women’s Empowerment Principles on ‘Health, Safety and Freedom from Violence’? If there are gaps, what steps can be taken?

ACTION 3: Orange your work place!

As long as your employer agrees, wear orange to work or university and encourage your colleagues to do the same to show your support for zero tolerance of violence against women and girls in the work place.

Pray

• Pray for guidance for all those who work to end violence against women. Pray that all people turn from violence. Here is a sample prayer.
• Read A Royal Violation, a sermon on ending violence against women by the Rev. Jeffrey Geary, published by our partners at Unbound.

Learn

• Read the Agreed Conclusions from the 57^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women: a set of recommendations to the nations of the world. Use the Agreed Conclusions to advocate. What do they recommend? Where do those recommendations need implementation? Your country? Your state? Your city? Tell your public officials to work to end violence against women.
• Explore the work of UN Women

Advocate

• Tell your member of Congress that the gun violence prevention debate is not over.
• Support the Campaign for Fair Food to to end farmworker poverty and vulnerability by improving wages and working conditions in the Florida tomato fields
• Sign up to become an advocate for just labor standards with Interfaith Worker Justice.

Act

• Wear orange. Take pictures and share them on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #OrangeDay.
• Join Presbyterians Against Domestic Violence.
• Create a group in your worshiping community, mid-council, school or other location to work to end violence against women and girls.
• Sign the global call for action to tell governments around the world that you want them to make ending violence against women and girls a top priority.
• Ask 3 people you know to sign the call to action.
• Join SayNO – UNiTE to End Violence Against Women on Facebook and share why you think ending violence against women and girls should be a priority for decision makers around the world.

Tweet

• • Today is #orangeday! Wear orange & @SayNO_UNiTE to #violenceagainstwomen in the work place! http://owl.li/km1BB
  • After #CSW57 to #endVAW &girls,UNiTE campaign says:Now words need 2b matched with action! Safe work places for women this #orangeday
  • 25April is #orangeday. End #violenceagainstwomen &girls! Does your work place support @WEPrinciples? http://weprinciples.org v @SayNO_UNiTE
  • On #orangeday 25April,support the UNiTE campaign & #endVAW at work places.Wear orange&tell ur colleagues to join you! http://owl.li/km1BB
  • Today is #orangeday! Is your work place a zero tolerance zone for #violenceagainstwomen? http://owl.li/km1BB v @SayNO_UNiTE 

Post on Facebook

• Change your Facebook cover photo to this banner.
• Use this post: The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign is proclaiming every 25th of the month as Orange Day! Wear orange to take a stand on ending violence against women & girls, and encourage all your friends to do the same!

Imagine

• Use your imagination to identify and implement other ways of working to end violence against women and girls. Share your ideas.

Of course working to end violence against women and girls is not a task for one day a month. Orange Days provide a reminder that, in Christ, we are called and freed to love one another and to pursue justice for all – each day and every day.