The Institute of Gender Research, Education and Development (IGRED) is launching the first edition of its ‘Artistic Gender Advocacy’, under the theme, ‘Open Mic Against Rape Culture’.
IGRED’s Artistic Gender Advocacy is set to be rolled out at least three times in a year, as a unique campaign which explores the captivating power of art, in the form of poetry, music, drama, painting and the like, to spark a change in mindsets through sensitization and education on critical issues affecting vulnerable social groups such as women, girls, children and females living with disability.
This initiative is to be rolled out using social media as a driving tool. A public call for spoken word recitals on the theme has been made to augment this project. Rape is a serious crime which calls for persistent action by every member of society, in order to effectively eliminate the socio-cultural pillars, which provide a thriving place for perpetration.
Inspite of the prevalence of this canker, it receives massive attention occasionally, when another horrendous case re-surfaces. This initiative will be a platform that applies consistency and persistence in addressing such issues for a sustained social awakening.
Executive Director of IGRED, Noelyne Mensah, explains that art has been chosen as one of their approaches to gender-based advocacy because, it is a powerful tool which appeals to all five basic human senses, and as such, has the tendency to create a deep positive internalized impact through, meditation and introspection, which is essential in the changing of mindsets and behavior.
She believes that if the words in music or poetry and the act in drama or movies can affect lifestyles negatively, the same tools can be strategically explored to inspire and influence positive change in society. Based on this belief, IGRED is on a journey to use art to make society, a better and safer place for vulnerable groups.
