{"id":12304,"date":"2020-01-23T12:54:35","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T11:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rnw.media\/?post_type=news&p=12304"},"modified":"2020-01-23T12:54:35","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T11:54:35","slug":"tackling-gbv-with-blogs-cartoons-and-flash-mobs","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.rnw.media\/index.php\/news\/tackling-gbv-with-blogs-cartoons-and-flash-mobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling GBV with blogs, cartoons and flash mobs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gender-based violence takes many forms, from coercive control of an intimate partner, to rape as a weapon of war. Harassment on the street or in the office and online,\u00a0FGM and child marriage\u00a0are all forms\u00a0of gender-based violence\u00a0(GBV). The 16\u00a0Days\u00a0of Activism\u00a0against\u00a0Gender-based violence is an\u00a0annual\u00a0international\u00a0campaign\u00a0calling\u00a0for an end to all forms\u00a0of GBV.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

RNW Media\u2019s Love Matters and Citizens\u2019 Voice platforms in 10 countries took part in the recent 16 Days campaign with each team focusing on a form of G<\/span>B<\/span>V<\/span>\u00a0that resonates in their local context. Intimate partner violence (IPV) and domestic violence were the central topic for Love Matters in Nigeria and Kenya and for the Citizens\u2019 Voice\u00a0<\/span>Benbere<\/span>\u00a0platform in Mali. GBV within relationships is a serious problem in all three countries and\u00a0<\/span>raising awareness and starting a broader conversation around the issues was the aim of the campaigns. <\/span><\/p>\n

When love goes wrong<\/strong>
\nThe campaigns included \u201816 Tales: #<\/span>NotAHappyEnding<\/span>\u2019 \u2013 a series of true-life stories from individuals who have experienced GBV in Nigeria. <\/span>Love Matters Kenya posted more than 10 articles and blogs, including personal stories, with the theme: Love Must Not Hurt<\/a>. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>One of their articles highlighted the many forms IPV can take \u2013 not only physical and sexual violence but also mental, emotional, and financial violence.\u00a0 In Mali,\u00a0<\/span>Benbere<\/span>\u00a0published a series of articles and under the hashtag\u00a0<\/span>#<\/span>MaliSansVBG<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>also organised free off-line events including performances by artists and actors popular with young Malians.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A cartoon from the Benbere campaign.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GBV in the workplace
\n<\/strong>Dealing with sexual harassment at work was the theme of the 16 Days campaigns in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Egypt. The\u00a0<\/span>Habari<\/span>\u00a0RDC and Amour Afrique teams jointly\u00a0<\/span>organised<\/span>\u00a0a series of discussion events\u00a0<\/span>called \u201cFaces aux\u00a0<\/span>Jeunes<\/span>\u201d in 4 regions of DRC<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0as well as posting articles online. The Faces aux\u00a0<\/span>Jeunes<\/span>\u00a0events aimed to provide a space where young women could speak freely and share their experiences of GBV on the work-floor. Together with human rights defenders, participants discussed strategies for dealing with the issue and\u00a0<\/span>were\u00a0<\/span>encouraged to report\u00a0<\/span>any\u00a0<\/span>violence\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>harassment they\u00a0<\/span>experienced<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Egypt-based Love Matters Arabic and <\/span>Masaraat<\/span> platforms implemented a number of online activities aimed at three groups: working women who are targets of GBV in the workplace, their managers and their colleagues. A video was created addressing the issues through a range of different scenarios. The video illustrated the differences between harassment and normal interactions between colleagues, the role of power relations, and potential resolutions. <\/span>The teams also published multiple social media posts for each of the 16 days on topics such as support systems and laws against harassment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n