Grand Prix for Good

‘#SAFETYFORSAFEKEEPERS - BAKLAVA GOT LEGS’, ABAAD RESOURCE CENTER FOR GENDER EQUALITY, LEO BURNETT BEIRUT, LEBANON

THE IDEA

Today, more than ever women are playing a crucial role in Lebanon-from being at the forefront of the revolution, to fighting the pandemic, to saving lives after the August 4th explosion. But they still do not feel safe in a patriarchal and violent society. Abaad, a Lebanese NGO, and in the middle of a lockdown wanted to spark a massive online debate and create an impact for all those women for them to come forward, and empower them to speak up. Through a co-created video content with Remie Akl, a Lebanese performer and visual storyteller, the conversation around patriarchy in the region was triggered in a very daring approach.

Verbal harassment is very common, in addition to sexual and physical abuse.

“Baklava” a well-known Middle-eastern sweet, has been used by men to catcall women in Lebanon. So, the common scenario in which women, minding their own business, are grossly referred to as Baklava by sexist men. But the problem goes beyond that, which some seem to think is innocent fun, forcing many women to simply adapt to it .This is why this term was brought to life and put it in its known context through the video. Aiming to turn things upside down, shake the reality, and open people’s eyes to harassment normalized by men and the society at large. Thus defining women’s safety in this context, and asking for the right to safety.

The video, which was produced and shot in an interruptive and proactive style hijacked the conversation for a week, becoming viral in less than 48 hours, where it opened an online debate on women’s safety. The public outrage created by this video allowed women to come forward & speak up.

The video broke the Internet and opened the debate on harassment without taboos. The content sparked national outrage that was also triggered through an influencer program to fuel the debate which was picked up by local and international media and public figures. A week after the campaign, Lebanon criminalized sexual harassment for the first time. Abaad was one of the NGOS that provided their inputs on the legislation.