Welcome Address that I had the privilege to deliver during the 1 Billion Rising Celebration at the Kuenrey of the Tashichhodzong on the 14^th of Feb’2013, in the presence of Her Majesty the Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck the President of RENEW and other dignitaries.

Kuzuzangpola and very good morning to Your Majesty, Your Excellencies, Honorable Members of the Parliament and the Nation Council Members, Distinguished Dignitaries, Ladies and Gentlemen… 14^th of February is a day of Love. It was first associated with love during the time of Geoffrey Chaucer in the Middle Ages and since then it had evolved into an occasion in which love is celebrated, spread and shared.

On this beautiful morning, at this historic location we are all gathered to celebrate our love for our grandmothers, our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, and our love for that special woman who is a part of our life and more so to show our support and offer our pledge towards a noble event that has taken the globe by storm.

We are here to make a stand against an atrocity that has plagued humanity since time innumerable. We are here to make our voices heard. To say enough! We will not wait any longer. It is time. Time to say violence against women and children isn’t an evitable fact of life. And it isn’t ok. We can’t survive, let alone thrive in a world where 50% of our population is subject to such persistent brutality and horror. It is time not to ignore but to challenge those who make these issues the responsibility of women to resolve, and instead say it is for all to have a zero tolerance approach to violence against women. Time to say it is not a matter of gender to care about these issues, but a matter of principles.

That principle is that all benefit from a world where one in three women being beaten or raped in her lifetime is not seen as a fact of life, but an international crisis to which resources and attention are addressed. A world where these issues are not excused as problems for other countries but exposed as happening here too- and just as unacceptable. A world where these issues aren’t something we just have to cope with, but is confronted and overcome!

Thus, we are here today to be 1 of the Billion Rising Campaign - which is based on statistics indicating that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during their lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than 1 billion women and children who are living under such risk.

We are here coming together in solidarity with more than 200 countries worldwide to be a part of the change. To be part of the 1 Billion Rising, which is:

A global Strike

An invitation to dance

A call to men and women who refuse to participate in status quo until rape and rape culture ends

An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers

A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given

A new time and a new way of being!

Women in Bhutan have always had the sense of safety, security and wellbeing. Parents celebrated the birth of a girl and in fact all parents hope and pray for a daughter, because “we” (daughters) give them a sense of refuge in old age. Women and girls are the glue that holds a family together. And I believe that “a daughter born is a family strong”. Mothers teach their daughters to be no lesser and fathers teach their sons that a real man doesn’t treat women otherwise. As Bhutanese we have always counted our blessing, but at the same time we haven’t forgotten that this atrocity is a disease that knows no boundaries, no race, no caste, no creed, no religion and it has penetrated our happy homes. And we haven’t ignored the fact that it too exist in our country that stands as an epitome of happiness and peace. We have confronted and we will overcome it under the leadership of Her Majesty the Queen mother Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck. Her majesty founded and presides over RENEW. Under the farsightedness of Her Majesty RENEW is the first organization of its kind in Bhutan committed to the relief and empowerment of victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Today would not be complete if Her Majesty’s pledge is not shared with the rest of Bhutan and the world. Therefore I would like to humbly seek Your Majesty’s permission to quote a few inspirational and powerful lines from Your Majesty’s pledge:

“As dawn breaks on the 14^th of February Women and men all over the world must come together to speak and act on behalf of those subjected to the cruelty of injustice and violence. When a billion voices speak in solemn solidarity the world has no choice but to listen. It is the basic right of all human beings to live a life free of abuse, injustice and violence and our basic obligation to ensure that this right is enjoyed by everyone including our girl child and women. On the 14^th of February pause for just a minute to think about the millions of innocent women subject to emotional, psychological and physical torture. Do not remain a silent bystander to injustice as apathy will not perpetuate this scourge.”

With Her Majesty at the helm of RENEW, Bhutan surly will wake to a new dawn where not only our women and children are aware of their rights but every citizen will take up this noble cause as a personal responsibility and help translate His Majesty’s noble vision of Gross National Happiness to reality.

Her Majesty is the essence and the life force of the organization that has been tirelessly working leading up to this very day, raising advocacy, creating awareness, educating masses, meeting government and local government officials and policy makers to offer their pledges and their support.

Today we have come to realize just one tiny dream of Her Majesty and her organization- that is to see people come together, people who can make change happen to make a stand and to promise to speak up against this atrocity against women and children.

Led by Her Majesty, RENEW staff and volunteers at exactly 11:00AM, an auspicious time we will rise as a nation that says NO MORE VIOLENCE. As we offer our pledges, so shall we offer butter lamps to bring an end to this shameful gender based disease.

It is with great pride and also heartfelt gratitude to inform the gathering that many Bhutanese at home and at work will be joining us in spirit and action. Many will be offering butter lamps while other will rise as we do to offer their support and make their stand.

It is also very heartening to know that our policy makers are discussing the Domestic Violence Bill furthering this dream “of a Bhutan free of gender based crimes” a step closer to reality.

So today as we light the butter lamps and just as the light from the butter lamps symbolizes the wisdom of the awakened mind, dispelling the darkness and mental obscuration, let us pray that ignorance about gender issues be dispelled and let wisdom dawn upon- the wisdom that violence against women is a major contributing factor to instability within the family and within communities; and families and communities that surrounds them are the foundation of our society. Let the wisdom that the women are the heart and soul of the family, the community, the society and the nation dawn upon each individual today!

With that, on behalf of RENEW staffs and volunteers,  let me take this honor of welcoming everyone of you to this great awakening once more and also thank you for your support!!!

Khadrinchey and Tashi Delek!