16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence 2017

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence 2017

22. 11. 2017

The Czech Women’s Lobby is joining in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence worldwide campaign. From 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) until 10 December (Human Rights Day), we are united in international solidarity to galvanize action to end violence committed against women and girls and the weak around the world; to achieve a future in which violence will no longer be tolerated.

On 14 November, Director of the Czech Women’s Lobby, Hana Stelzerová, took part in Prague in the international conference, Data Collection and Research in Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, organised by the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. Then on 20 November, she took part in Brussels in the Annual Colloquium on Fundamental Rights on the topic of gender equality, entitled: Women’s Rights in Turbulent Times, which was organised by Věra Jourová, European Commission Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. In the concluding speech, the Commissioner mentioned the #Metoo campaign as evidence of how important the topic of violence against women is, not just at a political level but also at the level of practical measures having an impact on ordinary people. She stressed the need for co-operation with non-profit organisations with a local impact and providing assistance to victims of violence, and strengthening the role of non-profit organisations defending women’s rights.

Hana Stelzerová /CWL/, Věra Jourová, Barbora Hořavová /ESF/

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, the Czech Women’s Lobby is joining the global Orange the world campaign by turning its profile photos on Facebook orange and launching the educational quiz, What do you know about violence committed against women and girls?

Jana Smiggels Kavková, Alexander Grubmayr, Siri Ellen Sletner, Viktoria Li, Helena Tuuri, Ivana Antalová /Copyright: Fotorepo/René Volfí

Events our member organisations are planning:  

On 21 November, the organisation proFem launched a Breakfast for Journalists campaign entitled ONLY YES MEANS YES – violence in light of the Istanbul Convention.

On 24 November, Brno’s NESEHNUTÍ will announce the results of its 9th annual anti-awards, Sexistické prasátečko (Sexist Piggy), which aims to eliminate advertising lowering the dignity of men and women.

On the same day, Konsent is organising the guerrilla event Myths about Sexual Violence in the ArtWall Gallery in Prague.

The Czech Women’s Lobby Obstetrics Working Group is joining the global event, Each Woman is a Rose, its members handing out roses at 10am at the Ministry of Health and at maternity wards, drawing attention to the need for improved maternity care.

At its General Meeting, the Czech Women’s Union adopted a call for faster ratification of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

26 November marks the first Czech Television Advent Concert in the Břevnov Monastry, dedicated to ROSA, an organisation which needs funds to repair its shelter for women survivors of violence and two apartments for survivors.

On 28 November, ACORUS is organising an exclusive auction of leading Czech artists in the Czech Centre linked to the sales exhibition of photographs and linocuts of other fellow artists and hand-made products from ACORUS Centre clients.

In co-operation with the American Center, the Czech Women’s Lobby is organising a Czech/English public debate, Women Facing Violence on 30 November. Debate participants Ivana Antalová of the Czech Women’s Lobby, Kristýna Pešáková of NESEHNUTÍ, Jitka Poláková of ProFem and Gail Whitmore of Ozvi se!/HollaBack! Czech will be seeking answers to the questions: Are we doing enough to help women? How does gender-based violence relate to men? Do foreign women feel safe in the Czech Republic? Can women make decisions about their own bodies during childbirth? The public debate will also include the official launch of the second published collection, #ZaIstanbul 2: Ženy & migrace – vybraná témata z oblasti genderově podmíněného násilí (#ForInstanbul2: Women and Migration – Selected Gender-Based Violence Topics), produced by the Czech Women’s Union in co-operation with other organisations defending women’s rights.

The Midwifery Union is organising an all-day seminar for specialists and the general public on 8 December, Birth House Step by Step, in which international experts will provide information on continuous care provided by independent midwives, something still not available here.

The Days of Activism supporting victims of abuse ends on 13 December with a proFem seminar in the Senate of the Czech Parliament entitled Punishing Rape Domestically and in Countries which have Ratified the Istanbul Convention preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

“Violence against women is an internationally recognised violation of human rights to which the European Union, Council of Europe and the governments of nation states are seeking a solution. It represents the greatest inequality between women and men, and as such our society should take it seriously as a society-wide problem. Let us together express our solidarity with women and girls experiencing violence who cannot defend themselves!” says Hana Stelzerová, Director of the Czech Women’s Lobby.

Contact:

Hana Stelzerová, Czech Women’s Lobby director, hana.stelzerova@czlobby.cz, tel: 725 820 266

Jana Smiggles Kavková, Czech Women’s Lobby chair, predsedkyne@czlobby.cz, tel: 608 553 825