Press release
6 Nov 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Arts Competition
On this occasion, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) has joined hands with the Institute for Women’s Study in the Arab World (IWSAW) at the Lebanese American University (LAU) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to organize a regional arts competition on the theme: “Violence Against Women: Whose Problem, Is It?”.
The competition is open to all Arab youth under 25 years old. In order to allow people to express themselves and to raise their voices in their own way, the contest is open to all art forms. This includes paintings, videos, photos, poems, music, or any form of art participants feel answers this year’s question.
Winners will be determined by a panel and showcased at an event that will be held on 7 December 2017 at LAU in Beirut, Lebanon. Winning submissions will also be featured on Lebanese and regional media platforms.
The event on 7 December will feature an intervention by Rand Abdul Nour, a Jordanian artist who has done powerful creative work to promote the repeal of Jordan’s Article 308, which until recently allowed a rapist to escape prosecution if they married their victim.
To enter the contest, participants should email their original submission to iwsaw@lau.edu.lb before December 1, 2017 and upload it to social media using the hashtags #16Days #IWSAW #UNFPA and #ESCWA.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign (25 November – 10 December) serves as a time to raise awareness and increase momentum toward ending violence against women and girls worldwide.
The United Nations Secretary General, through the UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign, supports the 16 Days of Activism under the 2017 overarching theme, “Leave No One Behind: Ending Violence against Women and Girls.”
Media Contacts:
For more information:
-Nabil Abu-Dargham +961-70-99 31 44; email: dargham@un.org.
-Myrna Mahfouz : +96170827372 mahfouz@un.org.
-Haydar Fahs : +96170079021 haydar.fahs@un.org.
-ECIU email: escwa-ciu@un.org.
For more ESCWA news, please visit:
Website: www.unescwa.org
- Lebanese American University/ Myriam Sfeir email: myriam.sfeir@lau.edu.lb
- United Nations Population Fund UNFPA email : alexiaunfpa@gmail.com
