For more than 30 years, the Global 16 Days Campaign has been used worldwide to call for the elimination of gender-based violence. Kicking off on November 25 every year (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) and running until December 10 (Human Rights Day), the campaign is supported by White Ribbon to help eliminate violence against women in Australia.
On Friday November 18, thousands of workplaces around Australia will join White Ribbon Day’s national call to action in support of the Global Campaign, doing their part to help eliminate men’s violence against women.
Violence and abuse against women, including physical, sexual, emotional, cultural and financial abuse, covers a wide range of controlling and intimidating behaviours. It’s an issue not unique to any single Australian workplace – but by providing safe environments for women, driving social change and helping to eliminate violence at work, workplaces are a key part of the solution.
White Ribbon Day is your opportunity to be part of a critical global social movement. Together, Australians can turn 16 days of activism into 365 days of action, helping eliminate men’s violence against women – workplace by workplace.
How can you help?
The White Ribbon website provides a number of impactful ways your workplace can get involved, from booking a panel discussion run by White Ribbon educators to organising a White Ribbon Day event. You can also download their Workplace Toolkit for event ideas, social tiles, templates and other resources.
But the greatest way you can help is by igniting a conversation about the issue to help raise awareness of gender-based violence. And one of the best ways to do that is by listening to and learning from those with lived experience of family domestic violence – the victims and the survivors.
We have a number of exceptional motivational speakers ready to share their profoundly personal stories with your team, whose intimate knowledge of the topic will help drive genuine understanding and change in your workplace.
ROSIE BATTY AO
When her 11-year-old son Luke tragically lost his life at the hands of his father, Rosie Batty became a tireless and inspirational crusader against domestic violence. Turning her personal tragedy into a fight to help others, Rosie established The Luke Batty Foundation and launched the Never Alone Campaign, asking all Australians to stand with her and beside all victims of family violence. Rosie’s courageous campaigning earned her the title of Australian of the Year, as well as the Pride of Australia National Courage medal and Order of Australia honours. Her relentless dedication has also seen her inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and named by Fortune Magazine as one of the world’s top 50 greatest leaders.
KRISTY MCKELLAR OAM
For over two decades, Kristy has worked with various corporate organisations to help embed family violence policies and practical measures. She has also been instrumental to the Royal Commission into family violence, and provides clarity on the impacts of family violence and systemic inadequacies to Victorian Government councils and taskforces. In recognition of her efforts, Kristy has been inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and is also a proud recipient of an Order of Australia Medal. A courageous survivor, Kristy has empowered many women to speak out, contributing to significant national reform in the process.
Rosie Batty AO and Kristy McKellar OAM are exceptional motivational speakers, with inspiring personal stories guaranteed to ignite important conversations – and help you tackle the issue of violence against women head on. If you’d like us to introduce you, simply get in touch with us for a chat.