Unique digital art event marked launch of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign

On November 24, the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN Women Moldova, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the international community and civil society organizations, launched the United Nations Secretary-General's UNiTE Campaign in support of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

This year, the 16-day campaign was inaugurated through an immersive digital art exhibition called "Emerging from the shadows: The Sun shouldn’t hurt." The unique event illustrated the stories of four Moldovan and Ukrainian women of different backgrounds and ages, all affected by various types of violence, to raise awareness of the seriousness of this phenomenon and the need to take immediate action to prevent and eradicate it.

The exhibition’s name is inspired by one of its featured stories in which a mother, trying not to upset or frighten her daughter, metaphorically called her aggressor "The Sun." The immersive experience combined visual and narrative arts with technology, aiming to highlight different forms of violence affecting women in our society and specific calls to action.

The launch event was attended by representatives of state authorities, civil society organizations, the private sector and the international community.

Attending the event, Alexei Buzu, the Minister of Labour and Social Protection, referred to the importance of the campaign and its role in collective efforts to eradicate violence. "For me, as minister, there is no excuse for inaction and lack of progress,” he said. “For me, ‘16 days’ means doing more and acting fast. My urge is to join forces and act to see results, not to delay."

Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Moldova’s Country Representative, spoke about the importance of investing in preventing violence against women and girls: "We call for sustained political commitment and greater investment in effective prevention strategies, through domestic, private and philanthropic funding, to reduce the prevalence of gender-based violence against women and girls in all their diversity, including in humanitarian contexts."

"Over 70 per cent of women in Moldova face some form of violence throughout their lives,” said His Excellency Kent D. Logsdon, Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Moldova. “Women, families and communities in Moldova deserve to live in a world free of gender-based violence. We will overcome this serious problem only if we continue to work together. This exhibition reflects the experiences of women who have survived violence and provides countrywide awareness. I urge you to reconfirm your commitment to combating gender-based violence and supporting victims during the campaign and throughout next year. There is no excuse.”

Her Excellency Katarina Fried, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova, explained the importance of joint efforts. "The cost of violence is enormous for society, communities and families, but especially for victims,” she said. “We must continue to join efforts to prevent violence and provide specialized services. We need a multidisciplinary approach to act quickly in terms of both preventing and responding to cases of violence against women and girls."

In his speech, His Excellency Yamada Yochiro, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Moldova, spoke about the gravity and extent of the phenomenon of violence both globally and locally, especially sexual violence, and also about actions that can help eliminate it. "We can improve things if we do not make this topic a taboo,” he said. “Introducing more proactive sex education is a starting point. In society, we can raise awareness and improve understanding among boys and men. And the presence of women in leadership positions certainly contributes to promoting the principle of equality and respect between the sexes.”

Erika Hazsnos, Head of the Political, Press and Information Section of the European Union Delegation, reiterated the EU's commitment to supporting Moldova in its efforts to advance gender equality and combat violence. "Today, as we launch the 16 Days of Activism campaign against Gender-Based Violence, we face the harsh reality that in many countries, including the Republic of Moldova, this phenomenon is widespread and the number of women who are exposed to violence from partners is very high,” she said. “Violence harms not only the dignity and respect of women's rights; it also causes economic damage because it stands in the way of economic progress and poverty reduction. The European Union is committed to promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. Our strong message is that gender-based violence is unacceptable, and we will continue to support Moldova in its efforts to ensure respect for the rights and dignity of every person."

Valentina Bodrug-Lungu, president of Gender Centru, explained that the adoption of a law does not automatically lead to its implementation. “An important precondition is investment. We need to invest in services for survivors, empower them economically, offer programmes to empower specialists and invest in education programmes,” she said. “It's much easier to prevent than to fight. We do not ask for money; we ask for sustainable investments, sustainable projects so that we can combat violence. By investing today in violence prevention, we are investing in the future of girls, women, boys, men, in our future."

The exhibition was open to the general public from November 24 to 26, between 12:00 and 20:00 p.m. Admission was free, and sessions were available in Romanian, Russian and English.

Through art and technology, we want to raise awareness of the seriousness of violence against women and girls and inspire change. We want to empower women affected by violence and also encourage witnesses not to tolerate this phenomenon but to contribute to its prevention and elimination.

The exhibition "Rising from the shadows: The Sun shouldn’t hurt" was organized by UN Women Moldova for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Moldova and financial support from the European Union as well as the governments of the United States, Sweden and Japan.