Press release: UN Women and Japan partner with Aswan International Film Festival to raise awareness on gender-based discrimination and violence against women in the media industry

Date:

(Aswan, 20 February 2019) - UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States will partner with the Aswan International Film Festival and the Government of Japan to raise awareness on issues related to gender-based discrimination and violence against women in the media industry.

The Aswan Festival is dedicated to promoting the role of women in film. The Festival, which will be held in Aswan, Egypt, between 20 and 26 February 2019, brings together film-makers from across the region and the globe to celebrate films that highlight the stories of women and girls.

Women and girls are under-represented in the film and media industry and in the stories that are produced. A study of 120 popular films across 11 countries showed that only 21 of filmmakers were women, while only 23% of films featured a female protagonist.[1]

In parallel to the film screenings, the festival’s Nut Forum held between 21 and 24 February will convene panel discussions between on diverse topics regarding the elimination of violence against women and children, and in particular in the context of war and civil conflict.

This year, the Nut Forum focuses on soft power and its relation to women, peace and security issues. The event will bring together role models in the fields of literature, art and cinema who are active supporters of women’s rights. By the end of the forum, female leaders from Aswan will be honored for their role and effort in supporting the advancement of women. Ambassador Mervat El Telway and Dr. Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women, will open the forum.

One of the organizers of the event, Ms. Azza Kamel, noted the power of the media and film in particular to transform society’s perceptions of women and their capacities. “Cinema is considered one of the pillars of soft power diplomacy. Through the festival and the Nut Forum we want to shed light on women filmmakers and artists to raise questions and spark discussion on issues affecting women in the region and around the world.”

“We are honored to support the Aswan International Film Festival in cooperation with the UN Women Regional Office for Arab States,” said Mr. Kotaro Suzuki, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan. “The Government of Japan has made every effort in and out of Japan to create “A Society in which Women Shine”. We hope that this film festival will provide a precious opportunity to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.”

In expressing his support for the Aswan International Film Festival and the Nut Forum, Mr. Mohammad Naciri, UN Women Regional Director for the Arab States, said “a significant factor contributing to the high prevalence of violence against women and girls in the Arab States region is the persistence of attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate negative stereotypes, discrimination, and gender inequality. The film industry is in a privileged position to help to end violence against women and girls by addressing these stereotypes and portraying women’s lives in a manner that recognizes their contribution as half the world’s storytellers and half the world’s audience.”

The UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States’ partnership with the Aswan Festival and Nut Forum is provided by the generous support of the Government of Japan as part of the regional joint programme for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Read in Arabic.

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[1]https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/multimedia/2015/11/infographic-women-and-media