Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

excellent way to convey messages to people who may not have access to the press and
other media, e.g. in slum areas or poor rural communities. See also Cultural events.
If you are planning a stunt or street theatre, ensure that you challenge misconceptions
and stereotypes. Instead of depicting women as helpless victims or as mischievous
creatures waiting (or deserving) to be “punished”, performances should show how
women and girls can play an active role in ending violence, and how preventing violence
can be of benefit to society as a whole.
Example: The South African organization Youth Channel Group (YCG) has used
theatre to catch attention on issues of gender, domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. Its
“ambush theater” approach has consisted in staging scenarios depicting domestic
violence in crowded places, such as taxi ranks and train stations, so as to attract large
numbers of curious onlookers who often did not realize they were watching a
performance. The actors then engaged the audience in a debate on the issue. (Source:
Siegfried, K., 2005. I Have to Take a Stand so That Society Can See the Change is
Inevitable: Case Studies from the South African Men as Partners Network,
EngenderHealth)
Golden Rules for stunts and street theatre
- Identify your audience, your purpose and your message. Are you introducing a
topic to strangers, or boosting the morale of supporters? Where do you need to go,
and when, to attract the attention of your audience?
- Prepare a simple script that summarizes the key moments of the play, and then find
the best ways to express your message while you’re rehearsing.
- Rehearse enough to be confident, but not so much that you get bored. Pre-test:
show the sketch or short play to people who do not know your campaign and ask
them for feed-back. You do not have to be brilliant actors – the best way to convince
people is to enjoy what you’re doing.
- Do not rely on technical effects - even one person switching a tape on/off at the
right moment can make a mistake and spoil the show.
- Keep props simple, but colorful to attract attention. A plain wooden chair can be
used to stand on, to hide behind, to shout at, or even play a role as a ‘silent
character’.
- Humor beats horror on the street – a good-humored sketch will draw a friendly
audience, while graphic representations of violence can backfire. If you poke fun at
someone, deride the perpetrators of violence – not the survivors!
- Inform the press, other media and supporters well ahead of time and hope for
good weather.
Source: inspired by Friends of the Earth, 2003.
Alternative and Shadow Reporting as a Campaign Element
Shadow or alternative reports are usually written by NGO coalitions and presented to
the monitoring bodies on international human rights treaties, such as the CEDAW
Committee. The reports describe progress (or setbacks) in the fulfillment of rights
enshrined in the relevant international treaty. States who have ratified certain treaties
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Campaigns December 2011