16 Days of Activism: Spreading the message of Zero Tolerance and Safe Spaces far and wide
On 25th November, UNOPS Nepal and the Socio-Technical Facilitation Consultation (STFC) project launched 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence in Nuwakot. An all-female mason training kicked-off the campaign in one of the districts of Nepal — Nuwakot. Nine women masons embarked on construction trades training, representing a vision of changed social norms. Taking up their agency and creating sustainable livelihoods whilst rebuilding Nepal back better.
This year, the 16 Days campaign aims to support women and girls around the world and in Nepal to come together in a movement of solidarity against the embedded gender imbalances in which sexual harassment and other forms of violence are so deeply rooted. With the colour orange symbolising a brighter future, free from violence against women and girls, the STFC project is bringing the conversation on safe spaces within the reconstruction context.
The kick-off event brought together UNOPS, local government stakeholders, STFC engineers, community messengers and many members of the community. In an emotional story portraying the impact of women in reconstruction, an STFC female engineer, Sanjita Adhikari, recalled her experience. Initially, when she joined the project, her family was hesitant that Sanjita was going away to remote areas for work. However, she recounts “during one of my house visits, a father said to her daughter looking at me, that you must study hard and one day you will be an engineer like her…”. This is the impact of women in reconstruction in shifting norms, Sanjita proudly says “If you educate a girl, you educate the whole community.”.
With the mason training helping us break outmoded gendered stereotypes and showcases the women as leaders, engineers and masons in rebuilding Nepal, the 16 Days campaign will help to galvanise communities and local stakeholders to create and maintain safe spaces at home, at work, in public and within the reconstruction context.
In her opening remarks at the event, Genevieve, the Project Manager of STFC, welcomed participants as agents of change in leading the 16 Days campaign in Nuwakot. She reminded participants in the prevalence of gender-based violence and the importance of advocacy. She states, “Violence against women, girls and other gender takes many forms and is widespread throughout the globe. In Nepal, more than 80% of women have experienced sexual violence in public transport. Whether in developing or developed countries, the prevalence of this violence should shock us all. Gender-based violence — and in many cases the mere threat of it — is one of the most significant barriers to women’s full equality.”
She further mentions “Let us not forget that reaching the most marginalised and vulnerable is also an intersectional effort to ensure no one is left behind in the fight against GBV, only then can we achieve true resilience within the communities.”
With the challenge to spread the message of “zero tolerance” and “uplifting survivors” far and wide, STFC recognises the importance of men and women as allies in leading shift of social norms. Within STFC, 20 events are being held across 20 local offices in these 16 days to ensure energy, ideas and leadership of the Nuwakot communities can be harnessed to end this pandemic of violence and help break the ingrained behaviour of generations.
These 20 activities include homeowner training, school speech competitions, all-girls model house competition, drama plays and local stakeholders dialogue on the intersection of gender and reconstruction. With the engagement of both men and women in this campaign, these activities will ensure that these efforts support the local communities in which we work in to end gender-based violence and creating safe spaces at construction sites, workplace, homes and in public areas.
Please join us on social media, you can orange your profile picture to show your support and spread the word on all social media platforms using the hashtags #GenerationEquality #orangetheworld, #spreadtheword, #16days and #safereconstruction, and follow the Nuwakot activities on @STFCNuwakot on Twitter and Facebook.