By Chiamaka Ajeamo
As part of events to celebrate the 16 days of activism on violence against women and girls, HACEY Health Initiative has sensitised young Nigerians to speak up against gender-based violence (GBV) using art as a tool for advocacy through its ARTagainstGBV workshop.
According to HACEY, the 16 days of activism is an annual international campaign aimed at raising awareness, galvanizing efforts, resources, sharing knowledge and information on the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
The executive director of HACEY Health Initiative, Rhoda Robinson, said GBV was one of the most notable human rights violations within societies today, adding that it was a growing pandemic faced by people all over the world, as it has no socio-economic, religious, ethnic or geographic boundaries.
Robinson said: “According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in every three women has experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime most often by someone she is acquainted with. Despite its high prevalence, GBV is largely under-reported due to a culture of silence, stigma and lack of access to resources and support systems.
“While women and girls are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence, boys and men also experience gender-based violence. GBV can have a serious impact on the health outcome, mental state, physical well-being and socio-economic status of survivors.”
Robinson explained that the ARTagainstGBV workshop’s objective was to promote a society free of GBV by improving people’s understanding of the matter and challenging societal norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls through art projects designed to depict everyday examples of issues women and girls experience.
“This workshop engaged 50 young people across Lagos State in the creation of art projects using paintings, drawings, mosaic and collage to tell stories around gender-inequality, particularly gender-based violence, as a means to challenge social norms and drive efforts that help advance the rights of women and girls. It will also build the capacity of men and boys on their role in eliminating GBV in their homes, communities, academic institutions and workplaces,” Robinson said.
Also speaking, the project lead coordinator, Chioma Osakwe, represented by project officer, Jolaade Olatunbosun, said the workshop provides young people with an opportunity to speak up against GBV using art as a tool for advocacy.
“It aims to promote a society free of gender-based violence by improving people’s understanding on the matter and challenging societal norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls through art projects designed to depict everyday examples of issues women and girls experience,” she said.