The exhibition "1 in 3" was inspired by the work of a young Afghan photographer, Hanifa Alizada, and I picked her photo "Circumstance" for this blog as it conveys the painful march we are all on to fight this incredible level of violence against women worldwide. The exhibition highlights that this epidemic of violence does not single out any socioeconomic class. It knows no ethnicity, race, or religion. The scourge of violence against women and girls transcends international borders.
Horrific events such as a gang rape on a bus seize headlines, but in fact no place is less safe for a woman than her own home. Estimates of lost productivity alone range from 1.5 to 2% of GDP, or roughly what most developing countries spend on primary education.
With "1 in 3," the World Bank Group Art Program seeks your engagement through art and encourages action to tackle gender-based violence.
This exhibition brings together hard data with some 80 nuanced, powerful artworks that explore the various ways in which violence affects the lives of women and girls around the world.
These works conveys the impact of domestic violence as experienced or witnessed by children, as in the paintings of Laben John of Papua New Guinea, and of sexual and gender-based violence as weapon of war, as in the sculpture of Freddy Tsimba from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Artist Nasheen Saeed of Pakistan depicts the deadening neglect so many girls suffer in their own families simply because they are girls.
Photographers Kay Cernush of the United States and Karen Robinson of the United Kingdom take on human trafficking with intimate portraits of young women lured abroad by the false promise of a better life. All help break the silence that often surrounds violence against women, encouraging survivors to stand up and speak out.
Two dramatic performances will offer additional perspectives.
Art can also help victims heal, as in the case of the women who sought refuge in the Omid Foundation shelters in Iran, or the girls of the María Ayuda Foundation in Chile, who under the guidance of compassionate artists have recounted their ordeals through poetry and painting.
The exhibition "1 in 3" is the first art project that the World Bank Group has dedicated to gender-based violence. This exhibition runs from May 22 through July 18, 2014. There are many opportunities to engage with the exhibition (all times Eastern):
May 22: Join us on opening night with President Jim Yong Kim, starting at 5 p.m. Several artists from “1 in 3” will be present, including Nigerian movie star Stella Damasus, in Preston Auditorium. The evening includes a recital: “Wounded to Death” by Italian playwright Serena Dandini, at 5:15 pm. The event will conclude with a reception from 6:15 to 8 p.m.
May 23: Panel discussion with artists of "1 in 3" and World Bank experts. The event is from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Preston Auditorium and will be webcast live.
Starting May 27: Guided tours of the exhibition will be offered to World Bank Group staff and external visitors on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. To register for a tour, contact the Art Program.
June 10: Panel on intimate partner violence with experts from the Bank and partner organizations, the World Bank Domestic Abuse Task Force, and the World Bank Family Network. 701 18th St. NW, Room J B1-080, 12:30 to 2 p.m. RSVP here.
June 30: Theater: "Neda Wants to Die," by playwright Luigi Laraia about violence against women in armed conflicts. Preston Auditorium, 5 to 6:30 p.m. RSVP here.
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