If you realised recently, hashtagging #ChallengeAccepted with black and white selfie about supporting women is “flooding” our Instagram Feed this few days. But do you know the real meaning behind this campaign?
This trending challenge is to nominate your friend to take part in this campaign by posting a photo of themselves in black and white, for women to support one another.
It’s a very meaningful campaign, by spreading positivity, reminding us that we should love ourselves and give support to our female friends around us.
But, do you know how the campaign started? This campaign was started in Turkey to raise awareness about femicide. In 2019, 474 Turkish women have been murdered and due to the Conoravirus, the figures in 2020 are expected to be worse. Hence, they started this campaign to raise awareness of the struggles that Turkish women faced.
Raising awareness of femicide or violence in woman should not be limited in Turkey. Femicide and violence are increasing worldwide but research shows that less than 40% of them who experience violence seek help of any sort.
In order to make this campaign more meaningful, I have actually researched how we can do our part in supporting and empower a woman in different ways.
9 Singapore Woman Organisation Supporting Women
Singapore Council Of Women’s Organisation
Established in 1980, it’s purpose is to promote and improve the status of women in Singapore in all fields. To serve as a resource centre for information about women in Singapore and carry out research and training programmes that will benefit women. To provide direct and support services that address the needs of women in Singapore, with special focus on the needs of vulnerable women.
How you can help:
Donation:
Helps to improve the lives of women and their families as well as our supporting services and advocacy work.
They have 3 funds you can donate: SCWO Service Fund, The Star Shelter Fund, and The SCWO Fund.
Volunteer:
In Star Shelter (a safe temporary refuge for women and their children who are victims of family violence.) like tutoring, childcare support, skills training and Recreational.
New2U Thrift Shop (provides affordable pre-loved clothes, books and small household items that are donated) helps to sort, price, and sell donated items.
IT Hub, assist in tutor and help to conduct IT classes.
AWARE
Started in 1985, a not-for-profit organisation, AWARE is the leading women’s rights and gender equality group in Singapore. It has carried out research into numerous issues affecting women, including workplace sexual harassment, poverty of older women and Singapore’s compliance with UN anti-gender discrimination standards.
How you can help:
Donation: To support research and advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality in Singapore, to create impact at the individual level and victims of sexual assault.
Volunteer: A great opportunity to give back to the community, learn and develop new skills, build your experience and resumé, and make a difference.
Take part in AWARE research.
S.H.E Project: Collaborate or Donate. A project that provides stable and decent housing and transformational support programme for low-income families headed by single mothers.
WINGS
Established since 2007, WINGS is the only non-profit in Singapore singularly focused on helping women through their later years by providing education and activities.
How can you help:
Befriend the seniors: visit the seniors every month, by preparing a simple meal, engage seniors in activities and housekeeping.
Donation: WINGS is a non-profit organisation. The donation can help to develop programmes and provide support to their community.
BABES
From 1999 to 2003, an average of 5 babies were abandoned each year. BABES, started in 2005, feels that teenagers with unplanned pregnancies needed support so that they do not make any decision out of desperation and ignorance.
How you can help:
Donation: You can check out the various way of donating and even help them with fundraising or partnership matters.
Volunteer: There are 3 ways of volunteering. Befriend (preferably with parenting knowledge), Sharing skills and resources, or ad-hoc support like fundraising, outreach and administrative task.
United Women Singapore (UWS)
United Women Singapore (UWS) is a local non-profit organisation, that works towards narrowing the gender equality gap through education and raising awareness and advocacy on issues such as anti-violence and women’s empowerment.
Their Girls2Pioneers (G2P) programme encourages girls aged 10-16 years to take up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in their higher education and careers.
How you can help:
Fundraiser: You can be an individual, corporates or organisations to join them to advocate and fundraise to support women’s empowerment, gender equality and build the pipeline of future women leaders. Check out their fundraising ideas!
Be a Member: Spreads the word on gender equality and women empowerment and gives weight to the work they do. Membership starts from 10yrs old to above 25yrs old.
Volunteer: You need to register as a volunteer to receive their Volunteer Bulletin monthly on an as-need basis and includes a listing of their current volunteer needs with instructions on how you can get started right away.
HAGAR
Founded in 1994, it was started to response to extreme domestic and community violence affecting women and children in post-civil war Cambodia.
Moving forward, HAGAR has transformed into an internationally renowned leader in recovery services for survivors of human trafficking, slavery and abuse.
How you can help:
There are various ways of how you can help. You can approach them as an individual, companies, schools, churches or empower a survivor.
Daughters of Tomorrow
Daughters Of Tomorrow supports more than 25,000 women from low-income families in Singapore who are struggling to find and sustain a living to gain employment and have a better future.
How you can help:
There are 4 ways to help –
Donate: Donate to develop networking of DOT beneficiaries as community organizers and developing the capacity of DOT beneficiaries as childminders
Be a childminder: helps to cater for after-childcare hours and contingency support will help low-income women access and hold jobs in the retail, hospitality, F&B and service sectors.
Volunteer: volunteer for ad-hoc events and workshops and fundraising.
Community Leader: Provide safe and trusted peer-to-peer childminding support in low-income neighbourhoods
Women on a Mission (WOAM)
Women on a Mission (WOAM) organises challenging expeditions, dynamic marketing campaigns and events to raise awareness and funds for women survivors of war, and to support and empower women who have been subjected to violence and abuse.
How you can help:
They have a very interesting way of raising awareness besides the usual volunteering and fundraising. You can join them on an expedition which are self-funded by each participant, comes together as a team to mentally and physically challenging adventure, in an effort to raise funds for the less fortunate and contribute to the society.
Since 2012, they have successfully run 10 expeditions and raised over SGD1,000,000 to support organisations that raised the position of women.
The Project X
The Project X is the only non-profit organisation in Singapore that provides social, emotional, and health services to people in the sex industry. Although Singapore is recognised as a safe country, sex workers in Singapore are still vulnerable to the risk of harassment and violence.
In 2018, the top 3 forms of abuse that The Project X witnessed were harassment, physical assault, and financial violence (e.g. extortion, robbery, non-payment of service).
Unfortunately, there are likely many cases that go undocumented, as women in the sex industry often do not receive the necessary support and resources to speak up against abuse due to the illicit nature of their work.
How you can help:
Volunteer: They have various volunteer position from permanent positions to ad-hoc positions.
Interns: You can also apply for interns position to assist in Research, events management, social media marketing, fundraising and others. They accept interns throughout the year.
Conclusion
While social media is a good way to start a supporting campaign to create awareness, it will be good that we actually do something that benefits or supports women from all walks of life.
Life is black and white, but it’s up to you to paint the colors.
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