Throughout the 16 Days of Activism, we are highlighting efforts of SIE Clubs, and civil society in general, who put in place projects to help end gender-based violence. Here are last year’s Best Practice Awards finalists in the category of violence against women.
Top Project 2017
Orange Heroes – Supporting the HeForShe Campaign Club of Marmara, Turkey
Convinced of the necessity to have the opposite gender on their side in order to achieve gender equality, Soroptimists from Marmara Club wanted to encourage men to get involved in the efforts to eliminate violence against women. They conducted a project to support UN Women’s HeForShe Campaign.
The men who volunteered to speak up against gender-based violence were from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds. A few of them chose to read the pre-prepared text that was offered to them, but most used their own words to express their engagement opposing violence against women. Videos of the Orange Heroes were made and shared widely on social media accounts of the Club, Soroptimist Turkey and HeForShe Turkey.
The campaign was a success, and contributed to spreading the word of the HeForShe Campaign. The Soroptimists’ project was also given as a positive example in a training delivered by “The Things Project,” a community movement coordinated by the Bilgi University Social Incubation Centre. Some of the men involved received unpleasant comments from their peers, but were so dedicated to the cause that they encouraged them to side with women as well, thus acting as true gender equality champions! Orange Heroes – Supporting the HeForShe Campaign Club of Marmara, Turkey Convinced of the necessity to have the opposite gender on their side in order to achieve gender equality, Soroptimists from Marmara Club wanted to encourage men to get involved in the efforts to eliminate violence against women. They conducted a project to support UN Women’s HeForShe Campaign.
The project was achieved by contacting the HeForShe Turkey office, who expressed strong enthusiasm for the Club’s project; designing and distributing brochures to inform men and invite them to join the fight against violence; supplying orange scarves for the UN’s OrangeTheWorld Campaign, which aims to raise awareness on genderbased violence; and asking men to say no to violence on camera, while wearing the scarves.
Results achieved:
- 112 men taking a stand against gender-based violence
- 3 corporations joining the campaign: GlaxoSmith&Kline Turkey, Cancer Fighters Association and Trio Vassago HairDesign
- 30.000 visits obtained by the orange heroes!
HeForShe is a solidarity campaign for the advancement of gender equality initiated by UN Women. Its goal is to engage men and boys as agents of change by encouraging them to take action against inequalities faced by women and girls.
Runners up 2017
1. Flashmob – Violence, We Can Do without You Soroptimists from Wien-Riengstrasse, Austria Advocating for respectful treatment of women and girls all over the world.
2. Sensitization on Gender-Based Violence Soroptimists from Cotonou Doyen, Sika Or, Amazone, Gazelle, et Calavi Colombe, Benin Sensitizing public opinion and contributing to the elimination of the violations of the fundamental rights of women
3. Seven Steps towards Women’s Health Soroptimists from Silute, Lithuania Coaching to encourage women from all age groups and social backgrounds to take the first steps to change their lives for the better.