The final festival of the "Silence is not golden" project
We are the first organization in Croatia, and probably among the first in the region, which has systematically dealt with sensitizing young people to issues of gender and prevention of violence in adolescent relationships. Using our own experience and theoretical knowledge, and the results of our studies were the first on this topic in Croatia, we have developed programs for youth and training of trainers and published manuals which are intended for all those who work with young people,. The manuals are being used inCroatia,Bosnia,Serbia,Macedonia,Montenegro andBulgaria.
Training of trainers plays an important role in the dissemination of knowledge, skills and values and we have, therefore, devised a program, and educated about 500 experts in the region. At this moment we have a network of over sixty educators in institutions of formal education throughout Croatian. Besides adult educators, peer educators also participate in the education.
We are working to integrate gender perspective in programs to prevent violence among youth through various activities. We have received support of the Ombudsman for Children, relevant ministries and government agencies, parliamentary committees dealing with children and youth and gender equality. We seek sanctioning of violence in adolescent relationships and together with the ombudsman for children, advocate for misdemeanor sanctions relating to the protection from domestic violence, as provided by the Law on the Prevention of Violence in the Family Relationships, also apply for the violence in the adolescent relationships.
The "Silence is not Golden" project was aimed to develop an awareness of gender-based violence, and was realized in cooperation with the association O.M.G. It received Erste Bank international award for social integration in 2009 inBucharest. ERSTE award recognized this as an innovative project that brings about positive social change and encourages a stable, safe and just society with equal opportunities for all.
The campaign was based on the results of CESI research and aims to educate the public, especially young people about the different types of violence that constitute gender-based violence, and was marked the TV clips that were aired for about a year on national television. The videos were shown 627 times on Croatian National TV and 116 times on RTL. The total value of free of charge TV and radio space is estimated at some 2.3 million EUR. This campaign has sent a message that violence in relationships can not be tolerated and that was heard by as much as 91% of young people inCroatia
Program was supported by public figures who have volunteered in and promoted various events, like Luka Nizetic, Ida Prester and Iva Sulentic.
