UN contest for best campaign to end violence against women opens for voting
(July 20, 2011)Public voting is under way in a United Nations contest, aimed at finding
the best advertising campaign to promote awareness in Europe about the battle to defeat
gender-based violence, which affects more than two out of every three women worldwide.
More than 2,700 entries from 40 European countries, prepared by both creative professionals
and ordinary members of the public, have been submitted in the contest. Three winners
will be selected, either by a seven-member jury of experts or by votes from Internet
users. One of the three prizes being awarded in the “VOTE to Say No – UNiTE to End
Violence against Women” competition, will go to the campaign which receives the most
public votes: Internet users have until 31 July to vote. The competition is an
initiative of the UN Regional Informational Centre for Western Europe in Brussels,
other UN Information Centres across Europe and the UN Entity for Gender Equality
and Women’s Empowerment. The contest is designed to boost the global effort to end
violence against women. “Joining in the efforts to stop violence is everybody’s
responsibility. Governments, private enterprises, civil society groups, communities
and individual citizens can all make essential contributions. Men and boys must be
active in encouraging respect for women and zero tolerance for violence,” said Michelle
Bachelet, the Executive Director of UN Women. According to the UN, up to 70 per
cent of women have experienced violence at some point in their lives. The extent of
the problem prompted Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to launch the global campaign “UNiTE
to End Violence against Women” in 2008.)