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| About the Campaign |
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The campaign of Autonomous Women's Centre and partner organisations is dedicated to the ratification and full implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. The I SIGN campaign is dedicated to the ratification and implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. (The Istanbul Convention) The Autonomous Women's Center (AWC) and 27 regional and local partners from Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Slovenia, with the support WAVE and EWL Networks, have designed and conducted a four-year advocacy campaign. That campaign is part of the Coordinated Efforts Project, which works toward new European standards of protection for women from gender based violence. |
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Choosing Messages |
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The general message of the campaign was "I Sign" - ratification and full implementation of the Convention. The idea was to create a message with which the largest number of citizens can identify, irrespective of gender, age, class, ethnicity, etc. The partner organisations adapted their messages to their local context. The messages were conceived so as to motivate the citizens for action, to attract media attention and to exert pressure on the decision makers. All the messages focused on the ratification of the Convention and fulfilling its standards. Over time, the pressure on decision makers to take responsibility was increased. Messages 2013 No one likes to live in fear. Nobody likes to be beaten. Nobody likes marriage under duress. Nobody likes to be stalked. Nobody likes perpetrators walking free. Nobody likes silence after a call for help... Things that nobody likes have to be changed! Messages 2014 Stricter sentences for perpetrators have been promised - Nobody likes empty promises. It has been promised that stalking will be proclaimed a criminal offence - Nobody likes empty promises. Urgent measures for the protection of victims of violence have been promised - Nobody likes empty promises. Support to SOS help lines has been promised - Nobody likes empty promises. Rape crisis centers have been promised - Nobody likes empty promises. Nobody likes empty promises - Things that nobody likes have to be changed! Messages 2015 Greetings from Serbia (or Welcome to….. [name of the respective country]). A country where perpetrators of violence against women walk free. A country where women victims of violence have to leave their homes. A country where every ten days a woman is killed by her partner. Words have an expiry date. Turning words into action! Messages 2016 I do not tolerate traffic jams; Slow internet; Long queues; Waiting at the counter; But I do tolerate violence against women. We are a tolerant nation, when it comes to violence against women I Sign (translated into local languages as "I stand for") __________________ From now on I will react! |
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Means and media to convey messages |
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Classic marketing channels were used, aimed at reaching a broad cross-section of the population: public services announcements on TV, radio, in printed media and adverting posters in public spaces. Our budget was extremely limited, which is why we made pro bono arrangements with media companies (for example, all media space in Serbia was obtained pro bono, whereas in Slovenia it was 12 times larger than the invested financial means). All the relevant information has been available on joint website, FB page and Twitter in 11 languages, including minority languages (Hungarian, Albanian, Turkish and Roma). The most important part of the campaign was directed at encouraging citizens and numerous stakeholders to become involved. They could create postcards and messages to be sent to the key decision makers online or by post. In 90 cities, a large number of actions were organised such as street actions, performance, public discussions, round tables, workshops, press conferences, consultative hearings, working meetings, conferences, etc. Actions were carefully timed to coincide with important dates and international events, such as the global campaign of "16 days of activism combating violence against women". Actions were focused in cities with numerous participants, and utilised public spaces such as main squares, shopping malls, bus stops. Participation was taken at community events such as fairs, film and theatre festivals, expert meetings, so that the information could reach as many social groups as possible. Online communication and social media played an important part, in particular for young audiences. Messengers Hundreds of people from public and political life supported the campaign. The symbolic signing of posters, carried out by Mr. José Mendes Bota, General Rapporteur on VAW of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE and by many representatives of parliaments and governments, marked the beginning of the regional campaign "I Sign". Celebrities that have a resonance with a specific audience helped raise the levels of interest for the messages among the target public and the media. For example, the campaign in Serbia was supported by popular actors and actresses, journalists and sports people, such as Milica Mandić, Olympic champion in taekwondo. The campaign was supported by Croatian president Ivo Josipović. |
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Advocacy actions |
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An integral part of coordinated actions was advocating for changes of laws and policies on the national and local level. Partner organisations prepared proposals and amendments, built alliances and negotiated with decision makers. "Tools" for advocacy We prepared common methodology on compliance of legislative and strategic documents with the standards of the Convention (two years prior to the questionnaire designed by the expert group GREVIO). Baseline studies were conducted in six countries (most of which are available only in the local languages). They were distributed to all relevant state bodies and institutions. Together, we prepared indicators for monitoring the implementation of the 51 articles of the Convention. An online database is being prepared, which contains data from all 6 countries, regarding the 51 articles of the Convention (available only in the local languages). Assessment of the situation concerning each article was conducted on a scale from 0 to 4, thus making it possible to monitor the progress annually, to compare the situation in all the six countries of the region and to provide a graphic presentation of the situation. The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Mr. Nils Muižnieks has welcomed the ratification by Serbia of the Istanbul Convention and (re)commended "tools" developed by the AWC to monitor the implementation of this international treaty. Alliances and support Advocating for changes of laws and policies in accordance with the standards of the Convention is a lengthy and unpredictable process. Partner organisations have received support from parliament representatives, state presidents, ministers, representatives of gender equality mechanisms and independent bodies for the protection of citizens' rights. Some such examples are: The President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović, at a meeting of leaders "Brdo-Brioni" process, held in Sarajevo on May 28 and 29 2016, addressed the issue of regional cooperation in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Ministry of Interior accepted the majority of comments that AWC had submitted to the Draft Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection. Member of Parliament, professor Dušan Milisavljević, MD submitted for voting amendments on the Law on Police, related to police authorisation to issue "emergency protection measures" from domestic violence, for the third time. Dubravka Simonovic, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, spoke at the conference organized by the AWC, as part of the project activities. |
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Results |
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The Convention has been ratified in 4 out of 6 countries in which the campaign was conducted. Croatia started the process of ratification following the statement of the Prime Minister. Campaign and advocacy actions had great visibility, drew attention of decision-makers, the media and the public. Citizens demonstrated readiness for active participation (signing and sending messages). The media showed readiness to give space for advertising materials and reports. Pan-European consulting firm European Diversity Research & Consulting has published information and a positive review of campaign in article "Creative online campaign urges Croatia to ratify Convention to combat violence against women". The "I Sign Campaign" qualified for the final of the competition for the award PRIZNANJE 2016, which is awarded by the Serbian Society for Public Relations. Amendments to the Criminal Code developed by the AWC have been confirmed by the member of the GREVIO Expert Group, Ms. Vesna Ratković in an analysis on compliance of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia with the Council of Europe Convention. The project "Coordinated efforts – towards new European standards in protection of women from gender-based violence", was awarded for its contribution to the changes in the region, at the Framework Partnership Agreements (FPAs) Closing Conference. Results in 2013/2014: • in total 2567 participants (partners, associates and target audiences, including decision-makers) (1680 at the national and 877 at the local level) that participate in the dialogue on GBV and the standards of the CoE Convention; • the Website Potpisujem.org (84.265 visits on page; 553 articles published) has been supported by 9,030 people with their signatures and messages; • 527 media reports on activities of partner women's CSOs; • 45 proposals for the improvement/harmonization of legal and policy solutions in the field of GBV have been submitted; • in the reporting period 15 proposals were adopted (33%); • the partner coalition established connections with campaigns: Act against rape! Use the Istanbul Convention! (EWL, 2013) Results in 2015: • It is estimated that between 25% and 55% citizens were reached by the campaign messages (TV, Radio, newspapers, billboards, posters, etc.); • At least 54,902 people were directly involved in the campaign and policy actions (there were more people, but it was difficult to obtain precise information about their number); • 502 media reports on activities of partner women’s CSOs; • 155 women's organisations from 6 countries are actively involved in the exchange of information, and most of them in the implementation of activities; • 280 stakeholders (156 at the national and 124 at the local level) participated in the dialogue on GBV and the standards of the Convention; • Based on the results of the monitoring reports, 78 proposals for the improvement/ harmonisation of legal and policy solutions in the field of GBV have been submitted (49 at the national and 29 at the local level) • in the reporting period 24 proposals were adopted (9 at the national and 15 at the local level); • the partner coalition established connections with campaigns Step UP! (WAVE, 2016). Results in 2016: • It is estimated that between 18.5% and 50% citizens were encompassed by the campaign messages (TV, Radio, newspapers, billboards, posters, etc.); • At least 44,095 people were directly involved in the campaign and policy actions; • 720 media reports on activities of women’s CSOs/networks (638 presentations on the national media and 82 local media presentations); • at least 155 women's organisations from 6 countries (4 WB and 2 EU) were actively involved in the exchange of information; • 16 women's organisations from Albania, Turkey and Kosovo participated in two conferences; • at least 90 international organisations (outside the countries the project has been realised) have also been informed about the activities; • 205 stakeholders (113 at the national and 100 at the local level) participated in the public dialogue; • 54 proposals for the improvement/harmonisation of legal and policy solutions in the field of GBV have been submitted (50 at the national and 4 at the local level); • in the reporting period 22 proposals were adopted (all at the national level); • Video spot from Serbia "Silent Life" participated in the pan-European Youth Video Award for the best youth video against violence against women, and won the second place audience award. |
| Multimedia |
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Campaign results #NeTolerisem 2016 |
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SUCCESS STORY Regional Campaing |
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Act against rape! Video |
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I sign to I sign to. On violence against women. |
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| Calendar of Events |
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20/5/2016 (11:30 AM), Belgrade SRB Press Conference: Coalition “PrEUgovor” presents the independent report of Serbia’s progress in chapters 23 and 24 |
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| Campaign is supported by: | ||
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| The contents of the website are the sole responsibility of Autonomous Women’s Center and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union. | ||
| Campaign is supported by: | ||
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| The contents of the website are the sole responsibility of Autonomous Women’s Center and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union. | ||
