Blog | Sanyu Centre For Arts and Rights

Young leaders striding forward....

"A leader is best taught by a leader." Ugandan proverb.

Young leader facilitating a peer session in enterprise development

Everyone is a leader. Everyone can influence and contribute to positive social change. Everyone has an ability to add value to one's community and society. It takes a leader to identify and develop a leader. Sadly, not everyone gets to understand that one has what it takes to contribute to a desired society. A major contributor to this are the mindsets and attitudes driven by gender stereotypes, location, limitation in knowledge and the unwillingness to push beyond the known or the normal.

Young leader facilitating a training session.

At Sanyu Centre for Arts and Rights, creating a growth environment for young people especially girls and young women to develop in their different leadership abilities to influence their communities is our priority. Our goal is strong grassroots youth movements participating in civic spaces through artivism. Our aim is young community women leaders having increased knowledge and skills in leadership and community engagements as well as inclusive youth networks and new partnerships established with civil society, media and grassroots structures to actively participate in civic spaces. SARI provides participants with a foundational understanding of various gender related socio economic issues such as youth unemployment, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Sexual and Economic Gender based violence with a gender and human rights lens. Participants are then be guided through thinking processes in leadership, evidence gathering and advocacy using artivism to help them influence social change.

Young woman leading a discussion during a leadership session

There is need for youth across all gender and status to be actively engaged in leadership and decision making yet with the closing in space for civil society, this has been greatly undermined. Youth especially girls and young women, youth with disabilities, youth in the informal sector have limited opportunities to engage in community leadership, decision making as well as social accountability platforms for social service delivery.

SARI uses artivism for young leaders to address gender, economic and civic issues that society may be silent about. Young launch periodic advocacy campaigns of common emerging issues which are presented through artivism inform of audio dramas, picture messages, radio dialogues, writing, poetry, dance and other forms of expressions. SARI also uses media, social media and community platforms for communication and engagements

Young woman using story board for story telling

At SARI, everyone has equal opportunity to positively influence one's community. We are leaders who identify and develop leaders for active civic engagement.

We keep striding forward bringing many with us to this cause of a global movement of young people creating positive social change through ARTs!

MESSAGES TO ADDRESS SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

Updated: Jun 25, 2021

35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. Girls and young women with disabilities face up to 10 times more gender-based violence than those without disabilities.

Many abuses go unreported due to fear, stigma and blaming the survivors.

1. Listen, Believe and Support survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence

Survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence

“By making a choice to tell someone that I was sexually abused, I hope I will be listened to, believed and supported.” Survivor

Many survivors are unwilling to relieve the ordeal through retelling it to people who will not only doubt them but blame them. We can only understand the magnitude of the effects of Sexual and Gender Based Violence when survivors speak out.

Listening, believing and supporting the survivor is one of the important steps in addressing Sexual and Gender Based Violence. SARI creates safe spaces through drama, dance, music for survivors to share their story.

2. Taking a stand against Beliefs that lead to Sexual Abuse against Girls and Women with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities.

Girls and young women with disabilities face up to 10 times more gender-based violence than those without disabilities. Girls with intellectual disabilities are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence.

“Sleeping with a female with a disability is a sure way to get wealthy and also be cured of HIV or any other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.”

“As a disabled woman, count yourself lucky if a man looks in your direction or even touches you.”

SARI engages young women as advocates of change against such beliefs.

3. Dismantling a rape culture

Rape culture is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalized and justified, fueled by the persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender.

Engaging men and women is key in dismantling a rape culture.

SARI empowers young men and women through human rights education and experience sharing to be advocates of social change against a rape culture.

Artivism for gender equality

Using audio theatre to engage girls and young women.

“With audio theatre, it is my voice that matters not my physical ability or disability.”

Theatre has played a key role in social change movements all over the world. Culturally and politically sensitive issues have been amplified by bold activists through drama, poetry, music, music, costumes to mention but a few. Indeed, some pieces have been so thought provoking engaging the entire public. Theatre is relatable because it draws its strength from common experiences and cultural symbolism.

We are empowering young women with knowledge and skills in presentation to use their voice through audio theatre for promoting solutions and positive change. SARI equips young women with knowledge of their human rights and experience sharing in social issues such as mental health, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, SRHR, Socio-economic rights. Audio theatre is also an inclusive tool for girls and young women with disabilities to participate in human rights education and advocacy.

“Audio theatre is a safe space to talk about issues that affect us.” Female participant

Using audio theatre for artivism towards gender equality, we draw upon positive cultural symbols such as language and common experiences to contribute to the desired change.

“Audio theatre is that mega phone that gets everyone’s attention to important and sensitive issues in society.” Sylvia Nalubega