Soroptimists Orange The World 2025 -16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women

The Soroptimist International St Albans and District #OrangeTheWorldHerts campaign 2025 was bigger and better than ever! People committed to CALL IT OUT ! saying NO! to violence against women. Scroll down to read more about all of the events.

#OrangetheWorldHerts 2025

The theme CALL IT OUT! is more than awareness raising, it is a call to action – https://sigbi.org/st-albans/callitout

Key events in the Soroptimist International St Albans and District campaign:

Mon 10 Nov – “Orange the World” Campaign 2025 kick-off on Zoom – with Hoda Ali Co-founder of The Vavengers – The Vavengers is a UK-based charity committed to ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and all other forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) https://thevavengers.co.uk/ Please click here to read all about it: https://sigbi.org/st-albans/otwkickoff25

Mon 24 to Sun 30 Nov – the Odyssey cinema in St Albans  was lit up in Orange. 

The #OrangetheWorldHerts St Albans campaign launch on Tuesday 25 November was a triumph! The main event in the Council Chamber at the St Albans Civic offices moved nearly everyone to tears.  Please click here for all the details including more photos:  https://sigbi.org/st-albans/otwstalbans25. It was immediately followed by a photo-call outside the St Albans Museum and Gallery which was lit up in Orange. There was also a walk earlier on the day with the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline.  25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women also known as “White Ribbon Day”. This marks the start of the #OrangeTheWorld campaign – 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women. The Soroptimists’ event was run in partnership with the St Albans City and District Council. The campaign aims to bring together individuals and organisations around the world to tackle violence against women and girls.

On Wednesday 26 November County Hall Hertford was lit up orange for #OrangetheWorldHerts with a reception and speaker event in the Council Chamber – the last time ever for that building. The event was hosted by Council Herts County Council Chairman Cllr Lawrence Brass with Kate Belinis DL and lead for Soroptimist International Hertford & District. Other speakers included Honorary Alderman Annie Brewster DL JP, Denise Powell Soroptimist International St Albans & District, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Gilbertson Cllr Ajanta Hilton Herts County Council’s White Ribbon lead. The Herts CC Domestic Abuse & Violence Against Women and Girls, Strategic Partnerships Team supported the Soroptimists with this event and invited the Fire and Rescue Service (complete with fire engine). Other guests were Soroptimists from Hertford and St Albans, County Councillors and more. In her speech Annie Brewster praised the Soroptimists for their #CallitOut ! call to action and quoted the horrific statistic that 40% of Herts Police time is now taken up with Domestic Abuse https://sigbi.org/st-albans/callitout. DCI Sarah Gilbertson’s talk was very moving and covered the importance of “Standing Together: Women in Policing and the Role of Men as Upstanders”. It is easy for police to become overwhelmed and numbed to what is happening and when they hear the lived experience of women and girls it creates empathy and the motivation for better policing. There was a group discussion about next steps. The audience and speakers were positive in spite of the scale of the problem. The focus is now on prevention and only a few years ago the focus was on survivors so that was seen as being more forward looking. With high visibility cases in the media like the murder of Sarah Everard and the more recent murders of Carol, Hannah and Louise Hunt there is more momentum from all parts of society to pull together to end violence and abuse of women and girls.

On Thursday 27 November the focus  was Harpenden – Orange the World and “Have You Voice Heard!”. The thought-provoking and interactive event was held in the foyer of the Eric Morecambe Centre hosted by Harpenden Council and Cllr Beth Fisher, Mayor of Harpenden. Please click here for all the details including more photos: https://sigbi.org/st-albans/otwharpenden25.  There were families of victims of domestic violence in the audience which made the discussions very real. Harpenden MP Victoria Collins was in attendance which meant that she was able to pick up on points raised to take up with central government.

Soroptimists got Christmassy on Monday 1st December at St Albans City Station. They were joined by friends (including some members of local choirs), to sing festive songs  and raise more than £400 for SAHWR Women’s Refuge! www.sahwr.org.uk Everyone wore orange to continue with the #OrangetheWorldHerts campaign “16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women”. Soroptimists ask people to take action and #CallItOut whenever they see abuse of women.

Tue 25 Nov – Wed 10 Dec Soroptimists join the United Nations Orange The World  campaign – 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls. www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/orange-the-world

CALL IT OUT !  #OrangeTheWorldHerts 

What did you do this year?

Please send photos and a brief outline  to us at sistalbans@hotmail.com . We are Soroptimist International St Albans and District and we are spearheading this campaign.

We work closely with the #WhiteRibbon Campaign in St Albans and Hertfordshire. White Ribbon Day, 25th November, is annually recognised as the day men show their year-long commitment to ending violence against women and girls. “We Speak Up” is the theme for White Ribbon Day 2025. “Letting sexism slide puts women and girls at risk. Sexist jokes, catcalling, staring, or comments might seem harmless, but they are serious and can lead to violence and abuse.  For White Ribbon Day 2025, we are encouraging you to speak up and create a world where women and girls are safe, equal, and respected.” https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/white-ribbon-day. The goal of both campaigns is the same; to end violence against women and girls.

Please click here to read about the Orange the World campaign we have been running in the area since 2020 and see how it has gone from strength to strength https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/orange-the-world