The Phnom Penh Post

Artists to draw for gender cause

- Long Kimmarita

THE Ministry of Women’s Affairs is running a graphic and 15-word message design competitio­n on Facebook, which is part of the World 16 Day Campaign Event to call for the stop on violence against women.

The World 16 Day Campaign Event is an initiative by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, held in conjunctio­n of the Internatio­nal Day for the Eliminatio­n of Violence against Women this year.

This campaign has started from November 25 and will continue until December 10.

According to the press release of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA), the design competitio­n on Facebook is organised by the MoWA LWGE Program. It is supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Phnom Penh and UNDP Cambodia.

The ministry said that to participat­e in the design competitio­n, Facebook users have to post a work of art which has been designed with the relevant educationa­l message onto the ministry’s Facebook page.

Participan­ts of the competitio­n stand a chance to win rewards ranging from $150 to $350, as well as other prizes.

“In this competitio­n, the artwork posting period is from December 1 to 6. The top five artworks which would have garnered the most ‘likes’ will become the winners,” said the ministry.

Sar Sineth, Legal Protection Department deputy director of the ministry calls for the public to support the 16 Days Campaign, by clicking “like” on artworks posted onto the ministry’s Facebook page.

“Please share to let your friends join in this competitio­n, which is open for artwork posting and voting until 5:00pm December 6. The team organiser would like to thank those who send artworks to join this competitio­n,” she added.

She said that violence against women and girls continues to occur during the current Covid19 pandemic period we are in.

Besides the competitio­n,

Cambodia has released many measures and actions to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.

Sineth said that the society must take this issue seriously, ensure victims are rescued on time and people in general is aware of the issue.

Independen­t singer and songwriter Chet Kanhchna, who joined the 16 Day Campaign, said that many women and girls were verbally and physically abused. She encourages victims of violence to speak out publicly.

“I was abused with improper words while riding my motorbike to work out. My

feeling at that time was anxious, scared and furious, but I did not give an immediate response,” she said.

She urged the public to think twice before using words and actions that could be abusing others.

The 16 Day Campaign is held to commemorat­e the Internatio­nal Day for the Eliminatio­n of Violence against Women. It started on 25 November and will conclude on Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10, 2020.

The campaign promotes the eliminatio­n of gender-related violence, and violence against women and girls in all forms.

 ?? WOMEN AFFAIRS MINISTRY ?? To participat­e in the design competitio­n, Facebook users have to post a work of art that addresses violence against women.
WOMEN AFFAIRS MINISTRY To participat­e in the design competitio­n, Facebook users have to post a work of art that addresses violence against women.

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