Men have been part of the problem for too long. The White Ribbon Campaign, a global campaign which has been taken up by MAN.V, believes that men can and must be part of the solution. Confronting men's violence requires nothing less than a commitment to full equality for women and a redefinition of what it means to be a man, to discover a new meaning to manhood. Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge not to commit violence against women. It is a personal pledge not to condone acts of violence, not to make excuses for the perpetrators of violence and not to think that any woman 'asks for it'. It is a pledge not to be silent. It is a pledge to challenge the men around us to act to end violence. Wearing a white ribbon provokes discussions, debates and soul searching among the men around us. The white ribbon symbolises change. MAN.V hopes this awareness will culminate in the passing of comprehensive laws against all forms of violence against women; secure a safe environment in schools and workplaces; and improve understanding of the problem for schools, colleges and universities, law enforcers and judges. |
