One Billion Rising

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Ashé Cultural Arts Center will produce Swimming Upstream: The Katrina Monologues at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. This powerful stage production shares the true stories of women navigating the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita—stories of survival, displacement, return, and transformation—through spoken word, song, and movement. Originally produced by Carol Bebelle and playwright V (formerly Eve Ensler) in partnership with V-Day and the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Swimming Upstream was first performed at the Superdome in 2008 to honor the women of New Orleans and the Gulf South post Katrina, in a celebration...

On the fourth anniversary of the 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, we stand with the women – and all vulnerable groups – of Afghanistan against imperialism, militarism, fundamentalism, and fascism. Since 2021, the Taliban has targeted women, destroying their right to education, autonomy, and the most fundamental human rights. Women and girls in Afghanistan can no longer attend school, they’re banned from almost all jobs, including medical training, and are banned from most public spaces. Girls are forced into child marriage and face a devastating mental health crisis. The female suicide rate in Afghanistan remains among the highest in the world. We...

This month will mark the 4th anniversary of the Taliban’s domination of Afghanistan. For many, Afghanistan’s crisis is an "old story." It is not breaking news anymore, not exciting enough for headlines, because our country has been in conflict for more than four decades, used again and again as a proxy battleground for the interests of powerful nations. In August 2021, after 20 years of NATO and international presence in the name of “fighting terrorism,” the fate of our people was once again handed to the Taliban. Through a signed agreement, they were effectively reinstalled. Since that day, they have stripped...

For more than forty years, Afghanistan has been the battleground for proxy wars, exploited by global and regional powers at the expense of its people. This long history of conflict has left the country devastated — physically, economically, and emotionally. Entire generations have grown up in war, poverty, and displacement, deprived of the basic right to live in dignity. Yet the suffering of Afghans has not been limited to within their borders. Throughout these four decades, neighboring countries, especially Iran, have treated Afghan refugees with ongoing cruelty and discrimination. Sadly, this has remained a largely ignored and unspoken issue on the international...

V’s latest piece in The Guardian is out this week. "In this authoritarian and suffocating climate where being an American feels like a curse, where just breathing here feels like complicity with genocide, psychotic imperialism, misogyny and endless racism, it is hard to move, let alone imagine what one can do to transform this horror to good. It is so clear something essential is dying. The illusion and seduction of the American dream is over. Neoliberalism is dead. There are huge cracks, openings in the old structures and narratives. These are opportunities to plant the seeds for the new world...

On Earth Day and every day we RISE for Climate Justice & Mother Earth. We amplify the connections between the exploitation of women and the exploitation of the earth. The global climate crisis impacts communities around the world. Women and girls suffer the most in terms of long-term loss of livelihood, forced migration, human trafficking and other climate-related conflicts. The destruction of the Earth – the relentless drilling, fracking, mining, deregulation of protections, militarism and extreme violence - has wrought upon the livelihood and traditions of the people, particularly the Indigenous people. This Earth Day, we renew our call for...

VOTE for it NOW Our V-Day series Afghan Women Speak: Stories From Inside Afghanistan has been chosen as a Nominee for the 29th Annual Webby Awards in the General Social - Public Service & Activism category. Webby Awards are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. In November, the series won two Anthem awards in the Education, Arts & Culture category. Afghan Women Speak amplifies the stories and voices of Afghan women who can never be silenced. Each woman’s story takes us inside the devastating reality of Afghanistan today. Since 2021, Afghan women have lost access to education, employment,...

“Afghan Women Speak” Series is a Webby Awards Nominee! VOTE for it NOW Our V-Day series Afghan Women Speak: Stories From Inside Afghanistan has been chosen as a Nominee for the 29th Annual Webby Awards in the General Social - Public Service & Activism category. Webby Awards are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. The 29th Annual Webby Awards was the most competitive season yet with more than 13,000 entries submitted. In November, the series won two Anthem awards in the Education, Arts & Culture category. Afghan Women Speak amplifies the stories and voices of Afghan women who can...

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Parkinsans:[email protected]&display=swap'); On April 16, we invite you to a virtual webinar & info session for V-Day’s latest creative project — VOICES: A Sacred Sisterscape. RSVP NOW After sold-out debuts in Accra, Atlanta, and the Apollo Theater, VOICES is now available worldwide on all audio streaming platforms. This year, we're partnering with global activists to bring VOICES to communities worldwide, creating a network of solidarity, support, and safe spaces where women everywhere can embark on this transformative audio experience. THE NEXT PHASE KICKS OFF WITH LISTENING SESSIONS IN ESWATINI, NEW ORLEANS, SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, MIAMI, OAKLAND, AND CSU MONTEREY BAY, WITH MORE TO COME THROUGH V-DAY...

Last month, V-Day/One Billion Rising, together with Fahima Hashim and V (formerly Eve Ensler), hosted THE FORGOTTEN WAR OF SUDAN: Remember Us: Sudanese Women Rising for Peace, Freedom, Anti-Fascism, and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in Conflict - a powerful conversation amplifying the voices of Sudanese women activists, highlighting emergency responses on the ground, and exploring how we can Rise In Solidarity as a global movement. Today, V-Day and One Billion Rising are launching a new activist and fundraising campaign for the women of Sudan to educate, get people to care and be involved so that the women of Sudan...