The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign observed annually from 25 November to 10 December, beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and concluding on Human Rights Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness and inspire collective action to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

This year, in line with this, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), together with its key partners through ongoing flagship project initiatives, is taking a unique, never-before-seen approach to advocacy. ‘Through Her Eyes,

wef.aoEiska, அவளின் பார்வையில்’ narrates the heart-wrenching journey of ‘Sara’ in her search for justice through multi-medium storytelling that merges stage theatre, film and creative audio production techniques.

‘Through her eyes’ is in line with three UNDP Sri Lanka projects; Enabling Access to Justice for Victim-Survivors of SGBV in Sri Lanka funded by the Government of Canada and implemented together with UNFPA Sri Lanka; the Support to Justice Sector Project (JURE) funded by the European Union in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, and implemented together with UNICEF Sri Lanka; and the Action and Anticipation for The New Agenda for Peace (AAA) supported through UNDP’s Funding Windows with funding from the Governments of Denmark, Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea.

Commenting on the timeliness of such public activations, Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka, stated, “As the country recovers from one of its worst natural disasters in its recent history, the focus on gender equality, inclusion, and structural change is more vital than ever. We all know SGBV leaves a deep scar in survivors, those around them and the society they live in. Yet, do we really know what it is like to live through that experience? In a crisis, how do we address root causes of SGBV that get exacerbated? We wanted to mark this year’s 16 days differently – by creating an experience where we, irrespective of our gender, culture, and all other differences, put ourselves in the shoes of those who live through the pain and hardships, and collectively think through ways in which we can tackle persistent challenges confronted by many. Our advocacy efforts aspire towards a nation and world free from SGBV- to achieve gender equality and empower. ‘Through Her eyes’ is a unique experience that is designed to bring this issue in front of a broad demographic audience, by bringing together stakeholders from across the Government, private sector, development partners, youth and CSOs, as we stand together to end SGBV and support Sri Lanka to build back better.”

Sharing the perspective from the Government of Sri Lanka, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara commented, “Through Her Eyes’ invites us to pause and truly understand the lived realities of survivors. It is a powerful reminder that every survivor who comes forward does so with immense courage. Their pathway to justice must be dignified, safe and free from fear. Ensuring the safety and empowerment of women and girls is not a task that can be achieved in isolation. A holistic approach is vital. Law enforcement, the judiciary, health services, social services, educators, civil society, the private sector and communities must stand together as allies.”

As a key partner, Kiril Iordanov, Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada noted, “Addressing GBV is a shared responsibility. Canada continues to collaborate with partners to design and champion innovative solutions. Our approach is rooted in the belief that promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls has a multiplier effect on development. By placing women and girls at the centre, we contribute to building a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous world.”

The Safe Space of this immersive production also highlights the support and work being carried out by the projects, to support better access for justice for victim-survivors of SGBV, capacity building for relevant public sector institutions, media ethics when reporting SGBV and the promotion of male allyship and bystander intervention as a mechanism to eradicate SGBV in Sri Lanka.

Highlighting the priorities of the European Union, Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, commented, “Gender-based violence endures when access to justice is made difficult by fear, stigma or indifference. This exhibition invites us to understand the experience through the eyes of the victim, and it forces us to question—and dismantle—the barriers that allow violence to continue without consequences. Justice systems Justice systems must act with determination in confronting this problem, but they cannot do so in isolation. Real change requires a society that supports women, recognises the realities of gender-based violence, and refuses to look away.”

In light of the current situation of the country, the event also hosted an interactive dialogue on the theme ‘Delivering Economic Independence for Survivors of Sexual and Gender-based Violence during Crises’ on the sidelines of the event. With participation from key individuals, including the Government, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society organisations and youth groups, the dialogue looked at key areas of Gender-responsive and intersectional crisis planning; protection, safety, and justice built into disaster preparedness and humanitarian response; safeguarding shelter design, ensuring access to health and reproductive services, psychosocial support, and safe reporting mechanisms.

The campaign aims to raise awareness and inspire collective action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. It calls on governments, organisations, and individuals to challenge harmful gender norms, support survivors, and demand accountability from perpetrators.

‘Through Her Eyes, wef.aoEiska, அவளின் பார்வையில்’ is open to the public from the 2nd to 7th of December from 10 AM to 7 PM at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

To know more and engage in the immersive experience: https://go.undp.org/through-her-eyes