The Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence together with the Parliamentary Secretariat for Reforms and Equality organized an activity for secondary and primary level students who participated in a competition that was part of the campaign of -sixteen days of activism against domestic violence and gender-based violence 2022.
The idea behind this initiative, which has now become part of the Commission’s annual calendar, is that children and young people are invited to express themselves about values that protect us from acts and behaviors that go against dignity and our fundamental rights as human beings. The theme chosen for the drawing category in primary and secondary schools was: ‘Love is…’, while the one chosen for writing in primary schools was ‘True friends are there for each other’ and in secondary schools it was: ‘Behave with others as you would like others to behave with you’.
In total there were 60 submissions of creative writing in Maltese and English, while there were a total of 187 submissions of drawing work. The Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg emphasized that this competition has become an important stamp in the campaign of the sixteen days of activism against Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence.
“The children are the ones who always end up a victim even if the violence is not being done to them, because anyway what is happening behind the door of the house has an effect on them. In fact, a few days ago we announced research that testifies to all this. As a government we will continue to strengthen our work, especially in the field of education and training, to provide our young people with the necessary tools and thus reduce the risks of them ending up victims of violence,” she reiterated.
The Parliamentary Secretary also emphasized that she is very proud that the students of each year are taking this education campaign very seriously and this is being reflected in the level of work that these young people are submitting.
The Commissioner on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence Audrey Friggieri said that training and awareness campaigns are an integral part of the work carried out by the Commission. “We must understand the importance that it is our responsibility as adults to educate and inform our young people to protect them. Tomorrow, even tomorrow, they will be the ones entering into a relationship, and therefore we want them to enter into this relationship with their eyes open and with a strong character,” said Ms Friggieri.
