8.55am GMT

By now hundreds of men, women and children have already danced, shouted and joined in some form of event to mark One Billion Rising, a mass day of action to end violence against women. As Europe wakes up there have already been dances, mass rallies and marches in India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Australia and, by the end of today, many more across Africa, the Middle East and the Americas will have joined them.

Sites such as Twitter and Facebook are full of homemade and star-produced videos to raise awareness about the fact that one in three women suffer violence at some time in their lives, according to UN statistics. So far, there are events planned in every single one of the 192 states recognised by the United Nations and then some. Just

pick a destination and look at what’s happening here.

Hundreds of events are planned in India, including several flashmobs in Delhi, where crowds protested in part against the appalling gang rape and murder of a student trying to get home, while in the UK more campaigners committed to taking part to support victims of abuse after the suicide of Frances Andrade.

As an idea, One Billion Rising appears to have united long-term campaigners with a younger generation inspired by the power of social media and a desire for change.

Yet the very idea to dance and shout as a way of campaigning against violence that ranges from female genital mutilation to rape in war to domestic violence to sexual slavery seems so outlandish that many have criticised Eve Ensler, the writer of the Vagina Monologues and activist behind this global campaign, for suggesting it. There have been detractors who believe an organisation that encourages Hollywood A-listers to make videos such as the one in which Jane Fonda spoke of her mother’s child abuse aged 8 has little to say about the suffering of women in places like Afghanistan.

Yet, the reaction in parts of the world where the need to raise awareness about violence is perhaps greatest has been phenomenal, from the millions expected to take to the streets in Bangladesh to a march on parliament in Afghanistan. Admittedly, the latter happened without mentioning Ensler, partly because her use of the word “vagina” is so frowned upon that even reporters fear reprisals for its use.

Ensler, meanwhile, has ignored those who scoff at her idea of "a global patriarchal pandemic’, so far raising more than $90m for rape crisis centres including the City of Joy in Congo, where she plans to spend today. "It is something that has gone across class, social group and religion,” she told the Guardian about One Billion Rising, which marks the 15th anniversary of something she calls V-Day. "I've never seen anything like it in my lifetime."

And all this on a day usually associated with the a few chocolates and flowers in the west. Jackie Clune, singer and comedian, said: “What a brilliant day she has chosen: Valentine's Day, when the world is marking a romantic idea of femininity that has got nothing to do with reality for many women."

It would be good to think that all this action will lead to immediate change, but no one is expecting that. The UN threw its support behind the cause earlier this week and in the UK and US there are attempts to link it to legislative action but for now we want to see whether one billion people really will rise against violence. We hope a live blog will be able to give some sense of the different movements around the world.

Here are some of the events we'll be covering today

• In India, there has been an enormous amount of organising and action to end sexual violence in New Delhi since a horrific gang rape in the city a few months ago. Multiple flashmobs have been planned for One Billion Rising, and we hope to have pictures and video from the campaigners. Their message is that "Delhi Rising intends to serve as a reminder: we are a part of the problem if we choose to remain passive."

• Some 200 women are marching on Afghanistan’s parliament, shouting slogans in support of a worldwide campaign decrying violence against women in the former Taliban-ruled country. They are due to arrive at parliament by around 11.30am local time.

• In Bangladesh supporters of One Billion Rising will be wearing red all day, forming human chains across Dhaka, the capital city, from 7am, ending with a concert with some of the country’s biggest stars in the evening. There will be 380 events over all 64 districts.

• In Australia, where prime minister Julia Gillard has pledged her support, there were plans for women to rise on beaches, in pools and at wilderness retreats everywhere from Brisbane, to Sydney, to Melbourne. We'll be catching up this morning with some of the events that have already taken place - including the rising that was planned for the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide.

• In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a rising has been planned by the Studio Samuel Foundation, for girls from the Kebele Township and the Kechene government orphanage. The girls will be watching films on domestic violence, child marriage and empowerment, and discussing what change they'd like to see in the world. We hope to feature their answers later in the day.

• Egypt’s new constitution does not enshrine the rights of women, while a quota for women in parliament has been rescinded, meaning that just 2% of MPs elected in 2012 were female. Street harassment is also rife – not just in Tahrir Square, but across the country. There are five One Billion Rising events taking place, including a play about female genital mutilation in north-east Cairo, a rally in the city centre, and a dance on the shores of the Red Sea.

• In Mogadishu, Somalia, organisers are planning the country's first ever flashmob for One Billion Rising.

• In the UK there are more than 200 events planned, from 1,000 people on the Scottish borders and a mini-rising for Scouts and Brownies to a 24-hour rising in virtual world Second Life. In London a flashmob on Parliament Square is planned for 11am GMT with the release of balloons for victims followed by a vote in parliament on changing sex education in schools due to finish at 3.30pm. After that there will be an event at London’s Southbank Centre with keynote speeches by artistic director Jude Kelly and the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper. We'll also be hearing throughout the day from Labour MP Stella Creasy, who has been involved in many of these events.

• In the Democratic Republic of Congo there will be an all-day celebration at the City of Joy, a centre for survivors of rape in Bikavu set up by Eve Ensler.

• In the US, there are more than 40 events planned in New York alone - including flashmobs on the Staten Island ferry and a march across the Brooklyn bridge. In Hollywood Jane Fonda is getting involved at 10am at the Sal Guarriello Memorial Park with dancers from Flash Mob America will lead a special One Billion Rising dance, choreographed by actress and choreographer Debbie Allen.