UNFPA and UN Women's "My body is my own" campaign arrived to Albania as a new art initiative, aiming to raise awareness on bodily autonomy, gender equality, gender-based violence and antidiscrimination.
The initiative aims to engage young girls and boys from all around Albania, fond of photography and illustration, by using their artworks to convey messages and help spark a conversation around this theme. The first stage brought together these young people with experts and professional artists in workshops to enhance their knowledge on bodily autonomy, gender equality and gender-based violence, and develop their artistic skills in photography and illustration.
The workshops were conducted by professional photographer Anna Ehrenstein and prominent art lecturers and artists, Ardian Isufi and Harri Aleksi. Psychologists and social workers Izela Tahsii and Anila Sulstarova also provided a social and psychological perspetive of the topics, to make young people dwell more on the causes and how to best address such sensitive topics without any prejudice or viewed from a positive solution-oriented perspective. The acquired skills were then used into artwork which will strive to give impactful messages and an appeal for empowered and informed choices about one's body, without any fear of coercion or violence.
