UNiTE Global Youth Forum, in Bangkok ~ 22 to 24 May 2012

The first UNiTE Global Youth Forum, in Bangkok from 22 to 24 May 2012, will see over 40 youth activists meet from across the globe to discuss preventing and ending violence against women and girls. Each represents a strong network that has helped to advance young people’s priorities and recommendations in their country, through advocacy and preventive actions. Here, Say NO speaks with two of the Forum’s participants.

Dhruv Arora is an active member of India’s Must Bol social media campaign against gender-based violence, which mobilizes young people around online discussion forums, videos and blogs. Bothaina Qamar is an international coordinator from Jordan with the international Youth Peer Education Network (YPEER), which brings together hundreds of youth clubs and organizations to advocate on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Forum is being organized by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s global campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women.

Dhruv, how and when did your involvement start with the issue of ending violence against women and girls (VAWG)?

Dhruv Arora: I hold the cause of ending violence against women and girls very close to my heart, and have been passively involved with the issue for a very long time. But I became directly engaged about two years ago when I joined the Must Bol campaign to address the violence associated with the lives of young people, particularly surrounding the issues of gender and sexuality.

People tend to ignore the problems and dismiss them, not really knowing how deep rooted they are. The real problem is that nobody wants to talk about this issue, and that’s where I’ve been involved; to create conversation around issues that are otherwise very conveniently ignored. Since then, I have been involved in online campaigns such as Must Bol and even started my own initiative known as Got Stared.At. Both are social media campaigns aiming to put an end to violence against women.

What is “Must Bol’s” approach and its main activities or tools for addressing this issue?

Dhruv Arora: The agenda of Must Bol is to create dialogue addressing the violence surrounding the lives of young people. Since the target of the campaign has always been young people, it makes sense to use a platform that most young people are on. For this reason, Must Bol primarily functions on the Facebook page known as “Let’s Talk”, where it tries to engage young people in discussing these issues more openly. It is heartening to see young people coming up and talking about issues that are not often discussed in public spaces. The energy with which these discussions are carried on is a sign of how badly people need to talk about these things.

How has the group used social media in particular, to challenge harmful gender stereotypes and address VAWG?

Dhruv Arora: Being basically a social media campaign, a majority of the activity on Must Bol has been on the online space. We wanted to capitalize on the fact that all young people are on social media, and that people find themselves much less restricted on an online space than they do in real life. This also helps in generating conversations around the issues of gender and sexuality, and allows for anyone to be a part of the campaign without any physical effort. Social media provides a platform where you can say whatever you want to without holding back. I think this has been a major reason that people have come out and spoken the way they’ve spoken. Must Bol also shot some short films around the issues of gender and sexuality, which were then used on the “Let’s Talk” page to create further dialogue.

Bothaina, how can and why should young people prevent and end violence against women and girls?

Bothaina Qamar: Young people were born with the right to participate. Being enrolled with a movement, project or their own initiative is basically setting this right in the right place! Young people also have the right to access information and services and be treated with dignity, without any kind of abuse or violence. It would be awkward not to involve them in shaping the policies and strategies that affect their lives.

Youth have proved their power and their will to make change, especially [with their mobilization during] the recent Arab spring. Youth will make a difference: with their families and friends, in civil society organizations and governments; by being themselves and letting go of their creativity, [participating in] peer education and casual talks youth clubs.

What do you hope to accomplish at the UNiTE Youth Forum, as a Y-PEER representative?

Bothaina Qamar: The Forum presents a great networking opportunity to link Y-PEER members and activities, on the national, regional and international levels. As a Y-PEER international coordinator, and a proud member, I have learned the value of networking and sharing knowledge, experiences and opportunities.

On a personal level, by interacting with different people [I can] broaden my perspective on the status of violence against women and girls. I am looking forward to shaping a strategy where young people can be active citizens.

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