Category Archives: Education and Advocacy

The Pixel Project Selection 2011: 16 Songs About Violence Against Women (and Staying Strong and Positive)

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“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” — Victor Hugo

The subject of Violence Against Women (VAW) is a difficult one to discuss and face for most people, cultures and communities. Whether it is considered taboo, a non-issue or a private matter, a wall of silence often envelopes the issue, making it one of the most entrenched and difficult human rights violations to dislodge and eradicate. Therefore, activists, campaigners and charities/nonprofits often have to get creative in highlighting the seriousness and severity of gender-based violence and its impact on the well-being of communities and societies as a confrontational approach may backfire, cause a backlash or simply not work.

One of the most powerful and creative methods of raising awareness about VAW and spreading the message of saying NO to VAW is through music and song. From medieval bards to protest folk singers of the 1960s to today’s Pop, Rock and Country songwriters, musicians, singers and songwriters have always played a pivotal role in spreading the message about social issues via their lyrics and using musical hooks to ensure that the song stays with the listener until the message sinks in. Continue reading →

The Pixel Project Selection 2011: 16 Films About Violence Against Women

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In our opening essay for last year’s Pixel Project Film Selection, we discussed the power of film as one of the most powerful tools that activists and educators have at their disposal to shape and galvanise public opinion and action to prevent and stop violence against women (VAW) in their communities. We selected a mix of documentaries and full-length movies, because whether they try to document the reality of gender-based violence or portray it through fictional storylines, they have their strengths and place in anti-VAW education.

This year, our selection includes at least one documentary or documentary series produced for and shown via the medium of television by major networks such as HBO and PBS. While film has traditionally been seen as the more prestigious medium, television has three distinct advantages over film: Continue reading →

Activism 101: 16 Ways for Men To Step Up in the fight to end Violence Against Women

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Today is the fourth day of the 16 Days campaign, and it is with great pleasure that we present a special 16 for 16 article from our partner, the White Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon Campaign is the biggest movement in the world of men and boys working to end violence against women. This year, they lost one of their founders and biggest Male Allies of the movement to end violence against women – Jack Layton. It is testimony to the vision of Mr. Layton and the other White Ribbon campaign co-founders that their vision for a world without gender-based violence continues to this day, carried on by Todd Minerson and his team in Canada and other strong male leaders around the world. For that, we thank them. Continue reading →

16 Resources About War-time Violence Against Women

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The Bulgarian Martyresses by Konstantin Makovsky (1877). Atrocities of bashibazouks in Bulgaria in Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78.

Violence is an inescapable and terrible manifestation of war and militarism with the worst of the violence being atrocities against civilians being committed in the name of intimidating the enemy to win the war. From the social acceptance of rape as part of war in ancient Greece to the Chinese and Korean comfort women of World War II. From the mass rapes of Bosnia Herzegovina and the Congo, to the forced virginity checks of female protestors in Egypt, women and girls have borne the brunt of many of these crimes against humanity.

In the face of this long-entrenched practice of using violence against women as an intimidation strategy and a sign of military might, we need to follow the lead of 2011 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner, Leymah Gbowee who led the women of Liberia to Monrovia’s town hall to demand of then-President Charles Taylor: “We the women of Liberia will no more allow ourselves to be raped, abused, misused, maimed and killed,” she shouted. “Our children and grandchildren will not be used as killing machines and sex slaves!”

Many will say that it is impossible to achieve world peace but that does not mean we should stop trying on the account of it being possibly futile. More than ever, this is the demand we must collectively make of those who would wage war for power, domination and money. Continue reading →