Soroptimists participate in global initative against gender-based violence

Soroptimist International of Whitefish is tapping into an international campaign that will shine the spotlight on gender-based violence.

The 16-day Activism against Gender-based Violence Campaign begins today, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The campaign wraps up on Human Rights Day, Dec. 10.

In support of this global initiative, Whitefish Soroptimist members have built 16 orange plywood silhouettes to place on display throughout the community. Each feminine silhouette stands as a “heroic witness,” each exposing a unique truth about some facet of gender violence and offering a response to address it.

The Soroptimists will launch their awareness event from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. today, when club members will stand with the silhouettes on Whitefish intersections along Central Avenue. They will then be distributed around town at the high school, banks, the Wave and other local businesses.

The Soroptimists will come together again during the Dec. 9 Christmas Stroll and will have an information table by the Village Shop on Second Street. The event will wrap up Dec. 10 at the Soroptimist Thrift Haus at 303 First St., in Whitefish.

Started in 1991 and organized by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute, the campaign is championed by thousands of schools, universities, governments, civic and service organizations around the world. The color orange has been designated to observe this campaign by UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

“It is our hope that they raise awareness and spark honest and thoughtful conversations about such difficult topics as domestic violence, date, rape, sexual harassment online and gender specific violence in other areas of our society,” said Diane Yarus of Kalispell, chairwoman of the Whitefish Soroptimists’ human trafficking committee. “Having total autonomy over one’s body is not a women’s right, it is the most basic and sacred human right.”

Violence in one form or another, impacts one in three women worldwide, Yarus said.

Founded in 1951, Soroptimist International of Whitefish is a nonprofit business women’s philanthropic organization that provides thousands of dollars annually to local women and girls for scholarships and awards and empowering projects that meet the Soroptimist mission of improving the lives of women and girls.

For more information about this event contact Yarus at 406-751-2175.