NGOCSW Geneva Film Project for Beijing + 25
Julia Handschin editing the “Mosaic” footage.
By Julia Handschin, WFWP Intern, Carolyn Handschin
Viewed by 400 participants at the Opening Session of the Beijing +25 Civil Society Forum on October 28, 2019 at the International Conference Center Geneva.
Launched back in July, the “Women’s Mosaic of Lived Experience” Film Project aimed to bring together women from different walks of life across the UNECE Region and to shed light on the progress as well as the ongoing challenges to the empowerment of women and the realization of their full potential. Many women’s lives and their communities have been dramatically and constructively influenced by their engagement with the extensive networks of the United Nations; the World Conferences on Women and Beijing Platform for Action, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Development Goals’s, Security Council Resolution 1325 and others. While policy makers increasingly understand the value of local knowledge about- and mobilization for- the goals, most of civil society remains out of reach. Members of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women in Geneva decided to launch a multifaceted project within the framework of the Beijing + 25 Review process to:
1. Understand and improve local awareness
2. Give voice to the local needs
3. Facilitate partnership with UN bodies and instruments to fulfill those needs.
4. Highlight successful projects and partnerships
Side event speakers and sponsors of “Ending Violence Against Women.”
The Task Force members , led by committee member Valerie Bichelmeier (World Movement of Mothers), would reach out to our networks to collect video clips from women active in the field throughout the wide ECE Region. In a few sentences, each described how they are engaged to improve their lives and their communities in spite of all the odds. A look at the basics; Do you have a job, a voice, feel your value? What are the issues you face in your everyday life? What would you need to meet those needs? How could the UN and governments better support you and your work? These issues would connect to the 1995 Beijing 12 Critical Areas of Concern, according to four priority areas:
Women and well-being: Some practices are dangerous to women and girls mental, physical and spiritual well-being and must be replaced with stronger commitments to healthy, safe, empowering health services and opportunities.
Digital women: Media can condone discrimination or violence or showcase strong women leaders. Once in positions of influence, women can bring significant change.
Following the money: due to gender discrimination, women may remain in insecure, undignified, low-paying jobs With support, they can fully benefit from the economy, secure decent jobs, accumulate assets and go on raise responsible children, families and influence institutions.
Peace through reconciliation and education: Violence (from domestic to protracted conflict) damages victims and perpetrators. By engaging survivors and addressing roots causes, laws and policies can be guided toward prevention and reconciliation. Early childhood education and family cohesion through trauma is critical for resilience- often assumed by mothers . Educated and stable women benefit entire societies.
Julia Handschin, film maker and media producer and daughter of the NGOCSW Geneva Vice President was brought in to guide the project technically and edit and compile the collected interviews. Her responsibilities included creating a how-to document, coaching members of the taskforce about conducting one-to-one interviews, lighting, framing, sound and as well, preparing a “Release form” to secure permission in writing to reproduce each interview. As a result of many early morning Zoom calls and field trips, around 20 submissions came in from a wide range of women of different ages, cultures, religions, professions. Many discussions were held to choose most appropriate clips, some sacrifices had to be made, but finally all can proudly say that it was really a very collaborative and invigorating undertaking. The video can be found below.
UNECE side event co-sponsored by France, Council of Europe, UN Women, ICW, WFWPI, CEDAW, and HEIC.