Podgorica, February 1, 2022 - Frequent cases of femicide, gender-based violence and misogyny in public space warn of the importance of breaking stereotypes and gender prejudices, as well as the need for systematic response and urgent reactions of institutions – this was one of the messages from “Pjevaj Maro, pjevaj zlato (Sing Mara, sing my precious) “ workshops aimed at promoting thinking of a better and a fairer society.

The workshops were held on the closing day of the eponymous exhibition name by Milena Jovićević, with which the artist drew attention to the manifestations of the Montenegrin patriarchal society in an innovative way. The exhibition was supported through the project “Communicating Gender Equality“, which is implemented in partnership by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Directorate for Gender Equality of the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights, and funded by the European Union. During the month and a half of its display at the “Art“ gallery that functions within the Public Institution “Museums and Galleries of Podgorica“, the exhibition was visited by more than 450 people.

Following the concept of creating alliances with cultural creators, media workers, decision makers, communicators, activists, and development partners, UNDP recognized that socially engaged art is a space for gathering and thinking of a better and fairer society, and that culture and media are active and powerful instruments for achieving that goal.

The workshop participants said that media and culture are a powerful means of dealing with deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes, stereotypes and prejudices. The level of gender equality is a measure of the country's success in implementing social, economic and rule of law reforms, and examples of misogyny that occur on a daily basis warn us that a joint and engaged response is needed – both at the institutional and individual levels. Everyone is responsible for the necessary changes and the creation of a social context that affirms human rights and gender equality – artists through engaged pointing to problems and the media through responsible reporting, but most of all decision makers and policy makers who are the basis for competent institutions.