In recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed tomorrow, the Women and Gender Equality Commis-sion is partnering with the Civil Society National Reference Group on an initiative known as the Red Shoe Project, which will kick start the observance of #16DAYS of activism against gender-based violence.
According to the commission, the Red Shoe Project takes the form of a public art display of shoes where each pair of shoes represents the life of a woman who has been affected by gender-based violence.
The public was asked to donate shoes which did not have to be wearable, new or red. People also had a choice to donate shoes in the name of someone and maybe share a story. The shoes will be displayed as a public art demonstration of the effect of gender-based violence on our communities.
Tomorrow, at 4 pm there will be an exhibit on the Seawall Bandstand.
According to https://www.costacrocierefoundation.com the Red Shoes idea came about in 2009, following a concept by Mexican artist Elina Chauvet, in an art installation denouncing femicide and the abuse of women. The foundation said since then the shoes have come to symbolise the struggle for women’s rights and gender-based violence.
“The challenge lies in keeping the issue relevant and empowering victims to report these crimes and ensuring there is adequate support. The project supports women as victims of violence by raising funds onboard the Costa ships, by selling custom silk scarves bearing the Red Shoes symbol,” the foundation said.
The aim is to finance the establishment of working grants for women who are victims of abuse and who are flagged by the Women’s Refuges in Liguria, to assist them in accessing the job market. According to UN Women, one in three women experience violence in their lifetime.
It said too that an estimated 736 million women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older).
“This figure does not include sexual harassment. Women who have experienced violence are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and HIV, with long-lasting consequences,” the UN Women said on its website.
Here in Guyana, only recently 28-year-old Thagewante Motie died days after she was brutally chopped by her abusive reputed husband Uram Doorbassa who later committed suicide.
While in August the National Assembly passed the Family Violence Bill with sweeping new provisions including police officers being allowed to enter premises without a warrant to provide assistance to a person under threat, the country continues to see a large percentage of its women being abused, maimed and murdered.
The Family Violence Act replaced the Domestic Violence Act. The new legislation is expected to address the root causes and escalating frequency of domestic violence that has been wreaking havoc in homes and resulting in tragic loss of life.
For nearly three decades, Guyana’s domestic violence laws were governed by the Domestic Violence Act of 1996. But the new Act comes with modern framework designed to offer expansive protection to individuals within the family unit. It comprises 58 clauses and addresses areas previously overlooked and incorporates insights from various research studies and international models.
