Our Emmeline supports 16 Days of Action

Our Emmeline statue dressed as a GP to publicise 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against women
I am immensely proud that Our Emmeline statue can be a force for bringing campaigners of today together. The 16 Days of Action 2019 campaign has such a strong message for the business community to support its workforce and make a real difference to those suffering domestic violence, and it’s great to see Manchester’s charities working together to seek this change.

Each day, one of the sixteen charities will be dressing Emmeline to represent a different job role as an interesting visual reminder of the campaign’s objectives and the call internationally for change in the workplace. Businesses are being urged to ‘sign the pledge’. Today, the first day, Our Emmeline has been dressed as a GP by the Pankhurst Trust and Manchester Women’s Aid in recognition of the physical and mental harm caused by violence against women and to raise the profile of the IRIS GP referral system (photo: Pankhurst Trust).

This innovative campaign is being led by Manchester Women’s Aid – the full press release is below:

                    PRESS RELEASE                     
Pankhurst Trust/Manchester Women’s Aid

Manchester unites in a creative campaign to mark
16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence
– 25 November to 10 December 2019 –
#16DaysofAction @MancWomensAid

A group of Manchester based charities and organisations are joining forces to mark this year’s 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence.  In a campaign led by Manchester Women’s Aid, 16 Manchester charities and organisations will stand alongside global organisations to call for businesses to help support an end to violence against women and girls and to invest in workplace resources that support those suffering domestic abuse.  This is a creatively inspired campaign that it is hoped will get people talking and thinking about an important subject and the support they can give.

The charities and organsiations taking part are:
Barnardos
Cheetham Hill Advice Centre
Greater Manchester Rape Crisis
Independent Choices
LGBT Foundation
Lurig Change & Development
MACC
Manchester Mind
Manchester Poverty Truth Commission
Manchester Women’s Aid
Safe Spots Wythenshawe
Saheli BAME Women’s Project
Sheikh Nazim Helping Hands
Southway Housing
The Pankhurst Centre
The Zebra Partnership

In December 2018 a statue of Emmeline Pankhurst was unveiled as the first statue of a woman in 100 years in the city of Manchester.  In the spirit of ‘Deeds not Words’ the collective of Manchester charities and organisations will be using Our Emmeline to support and carry their message.  Each day one of the charities will be dressing Emmeline to represent a different job role as an interesting visual reminder of the campaign’s objectives and the call internationally for change in the workplace.

Gail Heath, CEO of the Pankhurst Trust, which incorporates Manchester Women’s Aid, says, “It is when we unite that our voices become stronger and our message carries more powerfully.  So I am delighted that Manchester’s charities and organisations have joined forces to support the 16 Days campaign and that this, a city of firsts and progression that is renowned for its creativity, is taking a leading role in this year’s campaign.  We hope by taking our campaign to the heart of Manchester and by linking to a female icon of the city we’ll be able to raise awareness of the call for organisations to demonstrate their commitment to the global fight against domestic violence.  We hope our engaging approach will prompt positive discussion and encourage change.”

Hazel Reeves, sculptor of the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue and an Ambassador for the Pankhurst Centre, says, “I am immensely proud that Our Emmeline can be a force for bringing campaigners of today together.  The 16 Days 2019 campaign has such a strong message for the business community to support its workforce and make a real difference to those suffering domestic violence, and it’s great to see Manchester’s charities working together to seek this change.”

The campaign will conclude on Wednesday 11 December at 5:30pm with a vigil held at Hazel Reeves’ Our Emmeline statue, St Peters Square, Manchester. This vigil is organised annually by Independent Choices to remember the UK women killed in the last year as result of domestic violence.

16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls is a global campaign that began in 1991, since which time more than 6,000 organisations have taken part in 187 countries.  16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence is the UK campaign that formed from this.  For further information on the UK campaign and how businesses can pledge their support visit www.16daysofaction.co.uk.

Manchester Women’s Aid is part of the Pankhurst Trust. It provides vital support services to those suffering from domestic violence and abuse, including community outreach, group work sessions, children’s play, safe homes and education resources.  For further information visit www.PankhurstTrust.org

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