INFORMED AND SAFE – Performance “Women’s Cemetery” – 16 Days of Activism

On the occasion of December 6th, the International Day for the Elimination of Femicide, activists of the Center for Girls performed “Women’s Graveyard” in the center of Niš. They stood still, holding the names of women killed this year, while more than 430 names of girls and women murdered from 2010 to today were broadcast over the speakers. A striking reaction occurred during the performance when a larger group of passersby spontaneously stopped and watched the performance until the end.

Femicide is the killing of a woman by a man, motivated by hatred of women, prejudice, and the perpetrator’s desire to control the woman. On average, every 10 days, one girl or woman is killed by her father, partner, brother, or grandson.

The International Day for the Elimination of Femicide is marked every December 6th in memory of the victims of the Montreal Massacre, when, motivated by misogyny, a 25-year-old man entered the École Polytechnique in Montreal armed with a semi-automatic rifle and knives, killed fourteen women, wounded thirteen others (nine women and four men), and then committed suicide.
This day is marked as part of the international 16 Days of Activism campaign, which begins on November 25th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) and ends on December 10th (International Human Rights Day).

The performance was carried out within the project “INFORMED AND SAFE: Through Knowledge Toward a Safer City for All Girls and Women,” supported by the Medijana City Municipality.

Here you can watch video of performance.
Photo/video: Marta Stanojević and Nenad Cvetković Trumba.