By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the United Nations General Assemby designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designed to raise public awareness of the problem on that day.
Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, in orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
On 20 December 1993, the General Assemby, by resolution 48/104, adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
If you click on the logo, you will be able to read the Declaration issued by the UN.
A lot of famous people have campaigned in favour of the elimination of violence against women, Antonio Banderas among them. This is the video in which he collaborated with the United Nations, in his role of UNDP Goodwill Ambassador.
In order to commemmorate this important date, we are going to spend two sessions working on a reflection of what gender violence means, how abuse is not only physical but may also be verbal, how close it sometimes is to our own environments... and we will try to became aware of what an important problem it is for today's society, in order to become conscious citizens who will be able to provide comfort and support to those experiencing abuse.
First, let's watch a video. Look carefully at the situations shown in this special exclusive episode of a famous British soap opera called "Hollyoaks".
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:
1. How many couples appear in the video?
2. Do you think there is any relationship between them?
3. Who is/are the victim/s?
4. What is/are the act/s of violence portrayed?
5. Are there any similarities/differences?
6. What's your personal reflection about the video?
For the next activity, you will be working in pairs. You will be given a set of behaviour cards. In your group, discuss whether the cards are examples of ABUSIVE or SUPPORTIVE behaviours, or whether it depends on how you consider them.
The following exercise is called "Is this relationship abuse?". Once again, you will be working in pairs, and then in small groups. You will receive a set of statements, which you have to read and classify, depending on whether your answer to the previous question is YES, NO, MAYBE. Further discussion will take place in the class, so listen to everybody else's opinions.
Finally, let's play. "Cool / Not cool" is an app about friends and relationships where YOU choose what's "Cool" or "Not Cool". Click on the image in order to find out.
