OSSTF/FEESO Supports One Billion Rising Campaign

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 14, 2013) - Today marks the culmination of the One Billion Rising Campaign, a global effort to end violence against women and girls. For over a decade, February 14th has become more than simply Valentine's Day for women activists across the world. This is the day that women, and the people who love them, participate in events, vigils and marches to focus the spotlight on gender-based violence and harassment.

The United Nations has reported that one in three women is raped or beaten in her lifetime. That translates into a staggering one billion women and girls across the world who will experience violence. One Billion Rising is a movement that calls on global citizens to act in solidarity on February 14, 2013 to end the violence. One billion people are invited to rise up, walk, dance, sing, demand change, and speak out against the injustices perpetrated against women and girls.

"Our members have been actively involved for many years educating our students and the public about violence against women and girls," said OSSTF/FEESO President, Ken Coran. He added, "Through our professional development workshops, resource documents such as Still Not Laughing and Violence against Indigenous Women, as well as our partnership with the White Ribbon Campaign, It Starts with You, we are intent on providing the tools necessary for our members address these issues within their schools and workplaces."

OSSTF/FEESO endorses One Billion Rising Campaign and encourages all people concerned with ending violence against women to participate in actions such as the Memorial Marches that are being held across Ontario to honour the lives of missing or murdered Aboriginal women and girls. OSSTF/FEESO is also calling on all workers to sign and circulate the petition by the Native Women's Association of Canada calling on the federal government to hold a national public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.