In Bosnia and Herzegovina, art becomes a valuable tool in the fight against violence against women and girls

Fifteen illustrations by artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina filled the exhibition hall of the Historical Museum in Sarajevo to draw attention to gender-based violence under this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign themed “Let’s Turn Off Violence Together”. The art event also hosted a discussion around how art can contribute to raising public awareness on preventing violence against women and girls.

This year's campaign, implemented by UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the support of Sweden, aimed to draw public attention to the important role of the broader social community in preventing and ending against all forms of violence against women and girls. The exhibition features 15 illustrations by artists Ivana Janković, Nataša Konjević, Sabina and Zdravko Cvjetković, Vanja Lazić, and Merisa Bašić.

"Art as an expression of free thought gives us the opportunity to fight against violence, injustice, and discrimination. Women's rights and respect for women are something we must defend and gain every day. Therefore, we can never give up. If one woman or girl is exposed to distrust, lack of respect, psychological stress, sexual harassment, and violence - we can never sit still without reacting," said Birgitta Jansson, counselor at the Embassy of Sweden in BiH. She added that men need to change attitudes and behavior, and society as a whole - including public institutions, private sector, civil society, and citizens - must work together to change harmful norms. "Violence against women and girls has no place in a free and democratic society!" Jansson emphasized.

"Artists can actively engage with communities in addressing and preventing gender-based violence through collaborative projects. We are pleased we facilitated such an initiative during these 16 Days of Activism, bringing together six artists in a joint exhibit of their artworks. Art challenges stereotypes and offers space to reimagine and disrupt traditional gender norms that perpetuate violence,” said Jo-Anne Bishop, UN Women BiH Representative, and added that in this way artists emerge as activists, leveraging their platforms to amplify the call for social change, and become champions of initiatives aimed at preventing and addressing gender-based violence. “We are proud that they chose to be part of this year’s campaign and become allies in our mission to end gender-based violence.”

Participants of the panel discussion, moderated by Kristina Ljevak, a freelance journalist and women’s rights activist, included artists Ivana Janković, Vanja Lazić, and Zdravko Cvjetković, along with the director of the play "Perseids," Karmen Obrdalj, and Ajla Demiragić, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo.

Artist Vanja Lazić often touches upon societal issues in her work. At the exhibition, she presented a triptych of illustrations conveying a message about the necessity of educating young generations to have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of violence. "It was important for me to show the complexity of this issue and remind people that we can all play a role in finding solutions. I believe that art can be a valuable tool in the fight against gender-based violence. The work of artists, presenting the problem in a different way, can be a step towards change by attracting attention and, I hope, initiating dialogues that lead to meaningful transformations.“ 

The artist Zdravko Cvjetković, who collaborates with his wife Sabina, believes that art can help raise awareness about various issues, including the problem of violence against women and girls. They jointly authored a triptych of works with the message that everyone must contribute to the visibility of the issue of violence and take preventive action. "I am glad we had the opportunity to participate in such a campaign, and if our work reaches just one individual and prompts them to think about actively getting involved in solving this problem, I will be satisfied," conveyed Zdravko.

The campaign dedicated to the importance of preventing and combating violence against women and girls began on 24 November with the performance of "Perseids," written by Emina Kovačević–Podgorčević and directed by Karmen Obrdalj, at the Youth Theatre in Sarajevo. This play addressing violence against women was also performed at the National Theatre Mostar. During the 16 days of activism, panel discussions on strengthening community responses to gender-based violence were held in Tuzla and Banja Luka. The message sent at all these events is that there is #NoExcuse for violence against women and girls.

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