Using Art to 'Break the Silence'

The initiative was launched as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. To expand our reach, we partnered with local arts platform Artmejo to launch an online campaign aimed at understanding how gender-based violence is perceived by the local community through art and writing.

An independent panel selected the winning written and art submissions, with the winners being awarded the opportunity to paint their work on an eight-storey building in the heart of Amman, the capital city.

Overall, the goal of the campaign was twofold: raise awareness of gender-based violence in Jordan and promote the Dutch government’s commitment to human rights and gender equality.  

The mural, a black and grey depiction of a striking woman proudly gazing upwards with the words “Let your eyes be cast on the mountaintops” written in red, behind her is the beautiful creation of female artists Miramar Mahmoud and Dalal Mitwally. The words are taken from a poem submitted by Seba Al Abbadi.

A few days after we launched the “Break the Silence” campaign – Amman was rocked by a horrific domestic violence case which dominated local news headlines. In response,Jordanian women took to the streets to protest against the violence inflicted on women. The coincidental timing of this tragic event heightened the relevance of the campaign and allowed artists and writers to channel their anger and frustration through the competition, using their creative expression to raise their voices against gender-based violence.

 The campaign and mural garnered widespread attention from both local and regional news.