EmpowerHER: Activating Girls’ Agency to Choose Safe Relationships

• Every Adult Woman Survivor of Domestic Violence Was Once a Girl Child

 Cape Town, 11 October 2023 — MOSAIC Training, Service & Healing Centre is a community-based, African-feminist organization based in South Africa that has been responding and working to prevent violence against women since 1993, with a particular focus on domestic and intimate-partner violence.

On this International Day of the Girl Child, MOSAIC proudly joins the global community in celebrating the potential and resilience of girls everywhere, under the theme, EmpowerHER: Activating Girls’ Agency to Choose Safe Relationships. We recognize that empowering girls is not just a cause but a moral imperative, as every adult woman survivor of Domestic Violence was once a girl child filled with dreams and hopes.

In 2023, in a post-COVID world, being a South African Girl Child can be a particularly challenging and dangerous journey. The obstacles they face are immense, but so is their spirit. To amplify their voices and connect on a deeper level, we believe in the transformative power of art in all its forms.

Art transcends language and culture; it resonates with the soul. It's a medium through which South African Girl Children can express themselves, share their stories, and inspire change. Through painting, music, dance, poetry, and storytelling, they can connect with their peers, communities, and the world at large, creating a profound impact on the way society views and supports them.

The heart of our campaign remains rooted in four essential goals:

• Raising Awareness about Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention: Through art, we can create powerful visual narratives that speak to the urgency of ending GBV. Art can convey the pain, resilience, and strength of South African Girl Children like no other medium.
• Promoting Positive and Safe Relationships, Homes, and Communities: Art installations, murals, and performances can transform public spaces, serving as reminders of the importance of safe and nurturing environments for girls.
• Building a Positive and Strong Sense of Self with Skills for Communication and Capacity to Assert Oneself: Art workshops can provide girls with a creative outlet to express themselves and build self-confidence.
• Empowering Young Girls with Rights and Ways to Activate Those Rights to Stand Up Against Violence and Discrimination: Through art exhibitions and events, we can educate girls and their communities about their rights, creating a space for dialogue and change.

The theme for this year's International Day of the Girl Child reminds us that every girl child has the potential to become a beacon of strength, resilience, and change. Together, we can nurture that potential and create a world where girls are safe, empowered, and free to pursue their dreams.

As we celebrate the girls of today, we also honor the women who have overcome adversity. By empowering girls to choose safe relationships and stand against violence and discrimination, we are not only shaping their futures but also building a more just and equitable world for all.

Join MOSAIC in our mission to EmpowerHER through the transformative power of art. Let us amplify the voices of girls and empower them to lead the way towards a brighter and safer future in this post-COVID, often challenging world. #EmpowerHER #InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild #MOSAICforGirls #ArtForChange #EveryAdultWomanSurvivorOfDomesticViolenceWasOnceAGirlChild

Victims of domestic violence can call MOSAIC on 021 761 7585 if based in Cape Town or the national GBV Command Centre on 0800 428 428.

About MOSAIC

MOSAIC is a community-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to prevent and reduce abuse and domestic violence. This is achieved by providing holistic, integrated services when incidents      occur, and supporting clients through the process of healing and rebuilding their lives after a traumatic event.

MOSAIC creates an enabling environment through our holistic and integrated five-pillar service model

• Access to justice – psychosocial and legal support provided by court support workers, and psychosocial support from MOSAIC's Sexual Violence Counsellors at Thuthuzela Care Centres
• Support and Healing – Counselling Services, Support Groups and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights;
• Engaging Men and Boys- Training and Workshops, Support Groups and Counselling for Men
• Empower- Education and Skills Training, Rights Training, Youth GBV Life Skills and Community Dialogues
• Advocacy and Policy- Advancing rights of women and girls by providing evidence from our services to change the system.

The organisation was established in 1993 in response to high levels of violence against women in South Africa, particularly in the form of domestic violence, and in recognition of the silence that many women suffer in unnecessarily, due to either a lack of knowledge of their rights, a lack of confidence to access justice for themselves, or both. MOSAIC's registered head office is in Cape Town, South Africa.

For further information about MOSAIC, please visit www.mosaic.org.za