Men Ring the Bell to End Violence Against Women

“Bring domestic violence to a halt. Ring the bell.” says the voice of a man at the end of one of the most powerful television advertisements to date.

This one-minute advertisement is a part of a campaign to finally end domestic violence in women. It usually starts with a man suddenly hearing the voice of a women being beaten by her husband, crying desperately for help. The concerned man reaches the door bell and nervously rings it. This calls the attention of the husband and angrily opens the door. This simple yet meaningful advertisement aims to end the long fight against abuse in women. The campaign began five years ago in India, one of the most prominent countries where domestic violence is widespread.

Bell Bajao and Breakthrough

The television advertisement has become truly effective that it has spread globally, even in China, Vietnam and Pakistan. On March 8, 2013, it will be launched in South Africa and Brazil as part of the celebration of International Women’s Day. Breakthrough is one of the biggest international human rights organizations that utilize the power of media to promote equality, dignity and justice. It has launched several movements such as the campaign to restore rights in the United States’ immigration system called “Restore Fairness” and the campaign on HIV/AIDS named “What kind of a man are you?”

Mallika Dutt, the CEO of Breakthrough and the man behind the Bell Bajao campaign, believes that the promises of men to end violence is the key. She thinks that it is vital to the success of the campaign. Bell Bajao is “Ring the Bell” in Hindi. It has become a symbol to act in ending domestic violence and give women what they rightfully deserve. This campaign was joined by former US President Bill Clinton in 2010 and eventually by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, aligning Bell Bajao to his own campaign to end violence in women. Breakthrough has currently won 23 awards.

Ring the Bell and Make a Promise

On March 8, 2013, Breakthrough will again launch a new campaign to end violence against women called “One million men. One million promises.” This campaign encourages men around the world to make a promise to help end domestic violence. All pledges must be done on Breakthrough’s official website and the organization plans to have one million men to make a promise in one year. Breakthrough CEO Mallika Dutt sees Bell Bajao working effectively in other countries because she believes that this is a global issue of patriarchy. These promises will push men in being accountable for what they do to other people, particularly women.

The organization has been successful in increasing awareness in the domestic violence law. It has given women the courage to stand up for their rights and take legal actions. More people are now talking about the issue and the discussion rate has increased to 20%. United Nations has reported that about 70 percent of women encounter violence at least once in their lives. The Bell Bajao campaign has also encouraged more people to “Ring the Bell” and act on ending abuse against women. It has now reached Facebook, one of the biggest social networking sites, and has been recording pledges from men all over the world.