On 12 December UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in Kazakhstan together with the Red Crescent Society of Kazakhstan brought together refugee girls and women from Afghanistan for a clay modeling workshop as part of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”. The purpose of the workshop was […]
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence - UNHCR
On 12 December UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in Kazakhstan together with the Red Crescent Society of Kazakhstan brought together refugee girls and women from Afghanistan for a clay modeling workshop as part of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”.
The purpose of the workshop was to develop the participants’ confidence and unlock their creative potential. The workshop was combined with a discussion about gender equality, zero tolerance of all forms of violence, mechanisms of prevention and response to cases of violence.
Creativity enables empathy, connects reflection with action, builds and nurtures confidence. Creativity strengthens connections, brings people together and creates the necessary atmosphere for a friendly, open, sincere communication, by blurring all kinds of boundaries. Under the professional guidance of the trainer, refugee women with their own hands created their original masterpiece – pomegranate. As it is one of the most extensively grown crops in Afghanistan, it was very symbolic and provided young ladies with an opportunity to share about their homeland, traditions, and cultural peculiarities.
Throughout the creative process, young women shared about their dreams, ambitions, their plans for the future, things they are concerned about. Although all participants worked on the same task – modeling of the pomegranate, by the end of the class they saw that the outcomes were different and it showed how unique, creative and talented each of them is.
The workshop for refugees supports the key promise of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to leave no one behind. It helped to focus attention on empowerment, capacity-building, and inspiring young women and girls, as part of the efforts to prevent and end violence.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. The campaign brings together individuals and organizations around the world, including UNHCR, in a united call to end sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms. UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, both within the organization and among partners and beneficiaries of programs and projects.
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