Spotlight History

In late 2001, V-Day launched a campaign called “Afghanistan Is Everywhere” through which V-Day 2002 Organizers from the Worldwide and College Campaigns were asked to provide information at their events about the plight of the women in Afghanistan who had no civil or human rights under the Taliban at that time. They were also encouraged to donate a percentage of their proceeds to Afghan women. The campaign, ‘Afghanistan Is Everywhere,’ focused on Afghan women with the broader intention to unite women worldwide by pointing out the similarities between the experiences of the women of Afghanistan and those of women and girls in other areas of the world and raised over $250,000 for the women of Afghanistan, opening schools and orphanages and providing education and healthcare.

The success of that campaign evolved into what is now the annual V-Day Spotlight. Each year V-Day spotlights a particular group of women who are experiencing violence with the goal of raising awareness and funds to put a worldwide media spotlight on this area and to aide groups on the ground who are addressing it.

Following is a recap of the V-Day Spotlights to date:

V-Day 2019: Women in Prison, Detention Centers, and Formerly Incarcerated Women

V-Day 2018: The Resistance – Frontline Resistors Fund

V-Day 2017: Violence Against Women In the Workplace

V-Day 2013 & 2014: ONE BILLION RISING

V-Day 2011 & 2012: The Women and Girls of Haiti

V-Day 2009 & 2010: The Women and Girls of the Democratic Republic of Congo

V-Day 2008: The Women of New Orleans

V-Day 2007: Women In Conflict Zones

V-Day 2006: Justice to ‘Comfort Women’

V-Day 2005: Women Of Iraq, Under Siege

V-Day 2004: Missing and Murdered Women In Juarez, Mexico

V-Day 2003: Native American and First Nations Women

V-Day 2002: Afghan Women