We are excited to present you the 16 days Women Empower Cluj Campaign from November 25 – December 10 2020. The Campaign is part of the Global 16-Days Campaign Against Violence Against Women, organised in Cluj by an Alliance of civic and cultural institutions, consulates, and companies.
The Women Empower Cluj Campaign is a very special approach to the Global Campaign. Here in Cluj:
- We focus on implementing the campaign as an alliance, with local authorities, Cluj Police, civic organisations, cultural organisations, and both local and international citizens all working together;
- We focus both on raising awareness and working to stop violence against women, while also promoting positive examples of success, showing how gender rights and equality are better for men and women, and strengthening women’s achievement, leadership and success across all fields – media, business, sciences, arts and culture, politics, sports and more
The Campaign is working to make Cluj a city committed to gender equality. This is why it will see the launch of a process to create the Cluj Agenda 2030: Equality, Opportunity, Safety and Innovation. This will be a ‘City Plan’ with clear metrics to measure gender equality and wellbeing, and targets to improve safety, promote innovation, and prevent all forms of gender-based violence.
What else is happening? Just a few of the many highlights of this year’s campaign!
This year’s campaign will have a lot happening! The amazing alliance involved in the 16 days campaign is organising a huge number of inspiring events. These include:
- Art exhibits, artists campaigns, musical webinars, photography exhibits and more!
- Legal question and answer sessions on legal interventions in cases of domestic violence
- Discussions about ‘healthy relationships’ and ‘toxic relationships’
- Live events consisting of the stories of survivors of victims of domestic violence
- The Cluj Police wearing ribbons to show solidarity with stopping violence against women
- The 2nd ‘Women Empower Forum’ Cluj Edition and the first Global Women Empower Forum
- Roundtables with women in politics and on gender studies and feminism in Romania
- Self-defence and self-discovery through martial arts courses
- Spoken word poetry slam – an online story telling through spoken word poetry festival
- TEDxZorilorWomen 2020 “Fearless” event
- Training programmes on child protection and preventing sexual abuse in sports
- An online ‘bravery gallery’
- Remedies for addressing gender-based violence
- Information posters in Iulius Mall
And much, much more!
Interested citizens and institutions can find out information on all events now and updated daily from the Campaign Facebook Page
Due to the current Covid-19 Pandemic, the majority of events will happen online. If the current situation and the hygiene measurements in place allow it, and of course adhering to all established rules, the art exhibition will also take place at the “Bastionul Croitorilor” (Tailor’s Tower) near Piata Cipariu in Cluj. At the same location, the photo exhibition will be displayed outside on the tower walls.
From the UN, EU and corporate headquarters to the City Hall and citizens of Cluj and across the country, the overwhelming majority have recognised the need to do more to overcome discrimination, work-place harassment, and sexual and gender-based violence. The Cluj Alliance is working to address this concretely, practically and through developing an empowering and positive roadmap for sustained real impact in Cluj – to make Cluj a model, not only in Romania but in Europe and internationally.
“Gender-based violence is not a ‘women’s issue’ or a ‘girl’s issue’. It is an issue for every single human being. Men and women together need to be involved and work together to overcome every form of gender-based violence, discrimination and inequality. Having healthy relationships helps for healthy human development, healthy childhoods and healthy lives. Advancing gender equality has been shown to have proven benefits for improving corporate performance and quality of life and well-being for citizens.
The 16 Days Campaign in Cluj is committed both to overcoming all forms of inequality, discrimination and gender-based violence, and to practically, positively advancing women’s rights, gender equality and healthy relationships; to achieving real change on policy levels through the creation of the “Cluj Agenda 2030: Equality, Opportunity, Safety, Innovation”, to making a difference in people’s lives who have been affected by gender-based violence. It’s about raising awareness, empowering survivors, mobilising our commitment together as a community for a better future for all – and helping us all see how we can have a world based upon gender-equality, dignity and safety, and free from violence, trauma and abuse.