Time:
11/06/2019 - 13:45 to 11/06/2019 - 15:15
Room:
304a
THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF SURVIVORS IN ENDING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (GBV) （倖存者在終結性別暴力扮演的關鍵角色）
Type:
Proposal(Workshop / Presentation)
Coordinating organization:
Silver Lining Kenya
Theme:
Art and Advocacy
Language:
English
Organization Name:
Silver Lining Kenya （肯亞希望曙光）
Organization Introduction:
Silver Lining Kenya is a youth led organization based in the North Eastern part of Kenya whose aim is to build a generation of fierce women and feminist men.The organization runs a program on sensitization of the community members on Gender based Violence with a special focus on FGM using Art and media. Survivors have joined hands to tell their story , helping young girls to open up and start discussions on FGM. The organizations effort has been recognized with the founder being awarded as a Young Achiever , Zuri awards.
Describe your workshop/presentation (300-500 words):
Despite the Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) ban in Kenya, the proportion of women and girls circumcised in North Eastern Kenya is at 97.5%.The practice is deeply rooted in the community and is regarded as cultural and religious .FGM is associated with the acquisition of social status and consequently those who deviate from the societal norm are regarded as outcasts. At the age of 12, I went through the cut so as to fit in. Fortunately I survived, The thought of running away gave me goose bumps because there was nowhere to go to .There was no safe space where I could get protected. In the fight against FGM, most institutions have not focused on the survivors. These are the people who are still bearing the consequences of going through FGM among them being difficulty in giving birth. Survivors are scared of telling their stories and open up making it difficult for them to be part of the Global movements against FGM
In my workshop I will share how to use art in advocating against Gender Based Violence with a special focus on FGM. I have used storytelling and theater to have survivors tell their stories and also use this as an entry point for discussions on FGM. It was always hard for me to tell my story, I believed what happened to me was the most inhumane thing. I therefore sampled my story and that of 10 other girls who had also gone through FGM. I developed one script for a film that was acted by the survivors .The film is used to tell our stories anonymously without getting humiliated while also creating awareness in the society about the harmful effects of FGM. This makes it more real and brings a different perspective. FGM is regarded as a taboo topic and it is often difficult to start a discussion in the community. Theater has been key since the survivors act in the community using the local language and the community members can contribute, criticize and also get to learn about the harmful effect of FGM, a practice they forcefully did to their girls in the name of culture.
Story telling has been key in the fight against FGM and giving a voice to the survivors . Every girl shares her story with a recommendation on what to do in fighting FGM. The individual’s story is narrated by a different person while emphasizing on the recommendations. This has helped us advocate for more men to join the fight against FGM since most survivors recommend that. The stories are then shared on an online platform to keep the discussion going. This has helped very many survivors open up and discuss openly on effects of FGM which is hardy discussed openly among me and women.
In my workshop I will share how to use art in advocating against Gender Based Violence with a special focus on FGM. I have used storytelling and theater to have survivors tell their stories and also use this as an entry point for discussions on FGM. It was always hard for me to tell my story, I believed what happened to me was the most inhumane thing. I therefore sampled my story and that of 10 other girls who had also gone through FGM. I developed one script for a film that was acted by the survivors .The film is used to tell our stories anonymously without getting humiliated while also creating awareness in the society about the harmful effects of FGM. This makes it more real and brings a different perspective. FGM is regarded as a taboo topic and it is often difficult to start a discussion in the community. Theater has been key since the survivors act in the community using the local language and the community members can contribute, criticize and also get to learn about the harmful effect of FGM, a practice they forcefully did to their girls in the name of culture.
Story telling has been key in the fight against FGM and giving a voice to the survivors . Every girl shares her story with a recommendation on what to do in fighting FGM. The individual’s story is narrated by a different person while emphasizing on the recommendations. This has helped us advocate for more men to join the fight against FGM since most survivors recommend that. The stories are then shared on an online platform to keep the discussion going. This has helped very many survivors open up and discuss openly on effects of FGM which is hardy discussed openly among me and women.
All Speakers:
Name:
Benazir Yussuf
Biography:
Benazir has a background in education, teaching for the past 4 years. She have good training skills, she has been able to train in different organizations and also in the county through the gender technical working group which was developed as a result of her continued advocacy on inclusivity. Last year sje was in the Netherlands for a working visit of YADEN for the project SHE-Experience, co-organized by Riekje Kork ,Yaden is network organization in East Africa to empower youth. She offered training on how as a survivor she is using both theater and storytelling to end FGM.
