Barbadian Youth Ambassador rolls out Hug4Hope

Barbadian Youth Ambassador Ashley Lashley inaugurated her Hug4Hope initiative in Barbados on Saturday, aligning it with the United Nations-endorsed 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, which runs from November 25 to December 10.

In Bridgetown, adorned with a Show Some Love With a Hug sign, Lashley embraced individuals, aiming to raise awareness, spread love, and foster unity in Barbados.

Lashley expressed the motivation behind the initiative, stating, “One in every five women and girls globally has experienced some sort of physical abuse.”

She said the goal of creating awareness during the 60 days of activism was to extend support not only to survivors of gender-based violence but also fostering compassion and unity among individuals facing various challenges.

Highlighting the alarming rate of suicides, especially among young people, Lashley, as a youth ambassador and UNICEF youth advocate, noted her concern for this issue.

Recognising the hesitations due to COVID-19 concerns, Lashley introduced a virtual hug symbol — an emoji that individuals can share with friends and tag three persons in, providing an alternative way to express love and unity.

She told Barbados TODAY, “There are different ways of showing love and unity to persons that you care about, whether it’s in-person or virtual, and that’s the message that we want to spread.”

According to the United Nations, the UNITE to End Violence Against Women initiative, launched in 2008, is a long-term effort to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls globally.

Led by the UN Secretary-General, the initiative supports the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign and encourages collaboration among governments, civil society, women’s organisations, young people, the private sector, media, and the UN system to address the pervasive issue of violence against women and girls.

(RT)