On Friday, March 15, 2024, Nguvu Collective and Dorothy Njemanze Foundation organised an art-for-advocacy event tagged #RedShoeCampaign.
The event featured a red shoe exhibition, the Human Mata story exhibition, networking, food, music, and much more, giving community members a chance to discuss issues relating to gender-based violence in Nigeria and contribute their red shoes to the ‘silent protest’ that spoke volumes.
Speaking about the event, Dorothy Njemanze, Founder and Executive Director of the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), said, “All forms of injustice women and girls are expected to endure harm communities and economies. It is our collective responsibility to increase investment in sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response individually and in a corporate capacity. That in practice, would ensure issues peculiar to women and girls are treated as Human Mata, which is everyone’s business. Hosting the red shoe campaign at the DNF Survivor Support Center is strategic for us because over 300 survivors have walked through the doors of this centre; this feels like hallow ground”.
DNF is a survivor-run, feminist, not-for-profit organisation that provides direct, real-time support for victims of SGBV. Its three-pronged approach includes SGBV Response, Media Advocacy and research for Grassroots Reorientation & Wellbeing of Responders.
Also speaking, Ebenezar Wikina, Senior Partnerships Specialist, Nguvu Collective, said, “We are working with our Change Leaders to push the boundaries of creative advocacy campaigning on the respective issues they are working on. The #RedShoeCampaign is just one of the creative tactics we have supported our Change Leaders to implement over the past few months, and we will continue to support them till they achieve victory on their respective campaigns.”
Nguvu Collective (which translates as ‘Power Collective’) helps emerging women leaders unlock their leadership power to create a positive impact at scale. Nguvu Collective currently supports over 150 Change Leaders across Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
Participants at the event also shared their thoughts on the Red Shoe Campaign citing the innovative use of red shoes as an advocacy tool. Bella Anne Ndubuisi, Cultural Affairs Specialist, US Embassy Abuja, said, “Ending gender-based violence requires a whole of society approach, and these red shoes are symbolic representations of the steps that we have to take as individuals and as a society to address gender based violence. These installations compel us to stop and think; think about how our actions and inactions enable perpetrators of violence. As I walk away from today’s exhibition, I’m determined more than ever to continue support efforts to end all forms of abuse against women and girls. I commend Nguvu Collective and the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation for this powerful campaign.”
Milliscent Adanma Nnwoka, Technical Advisory, Communications to the Chair, National Council on Nutrition, said, “I think the red shoe campaign serves as a powerful symbol, highlighting the urgent need to address and overcome gender disparities and violence against women. Everyone who came showed solidarity with women, their rights, and their fight for equal opportunities. I wish we can see more men attend events like this. I believe the campaign is a call to action, and can be replicated at different points around the world urging society to acknowledge and confront the issues that affect women globally.”