LocationsPhotos and Illustrations to Prevent Violence against Women
Exhibition “Image for Change” Opened
May 19, 2023
UNDP Serbia
Novi Sad, 19 May 2023 – Yesterday, in the hall of the Rectory of the University of Novi Sad, with the purpose of marking the National Remembering Women Victims of Violence Day, the exhibition entitled “Image for Change” was opened. The exhibition of photographs and illustrations which depict the issue of violence against women in an ethical way, was organised by the University of Novi Sad and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“We are very glad that we have the opportunity to host this exhibition at the University of Novi Sad, where we have been attempting to create a gender-sensitive and just academic environment through continuous activities dedicated to the topic of gender equality, and especially through the work of the Gender Equality Council, and to influence and raise the awareness of our academic community, as well as of a wider public,” said prof. dr Dejan Madić, Rector of the University of Novi Sad and added: “Not only does this exhibition offer an artistic and photographic depiction of an extremely sensitive and socially relevant topic of violence against women, but it also has a pronounced educational character, vocally pleading to the media to report on this topic responsibly, and thus influence a change in the perception and promote prevention of this phenomenon in our society.”
The exhibition “Image for Change” comprises a selection of the work made as a result of a joint initiative of the “Women Journalists against Violence” group, UNDP, B92 Fund and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, which have been a part of the database containing more than 140 photos and illustrations, publicly available for use to all media.
UNDP Serbia
“We have created this database with the idea to draw attention to the importance of the images that accompany reports of violence against women, and help media to contribute to eradication of this phenomenon through their responsible reporting”, said Marina Ileš, associate for gender equality of UNDP Serbia, adding that UNDP will continue to support the initiatives that contribute to decreasing the tolerance towards violence against women and girls in our society.
“A piece of research that deals with the reactions of the women in violent situations to the media reports concerning this issue, has clearly shown that most of the visual material in the media, such as publishing private photos or illustrations of violence, do not offer encouragement to victims, but rather cause re-traumatisation. I therefore recommend to my colleagues to use the photos from the database and contribute to changing the way violence against women is illustrated in the media,” said the author of the exhibition and photo editor of the “Vreme” weekly Marija Janković.
The “Image for Change” exhibition can be seen until 25 May, in the hall of the Novi Sad University’s Rectory, Dr Zorana Đinđića Street no. 1, Novi Sad.
The exhibition has been organised as a part of the UNIGEM (University and Gender Mainstreaming) project, implemented in cooperation with the Transcultural Psychosocial Education Foundation (TPO) from Sarajevo, with the aim of preventing and combating gender-based violence, discrimination and sexual harassment, as well as securing integrity and quality in university education.