Highlights
4 December 2023
Art installation focuses attention on gender violence in Kazakhstan
An interactive art installation that sheds light on gender violence in Kazakhstan opened at the Nurly Zhol train station in Astana.
Violence against women constitutes a human rights violation and a public health issue. Two of the most common forms of violence are intimate partner violence and sexual violence. But violence against women comes in different forms, including sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. Women who are part of the health workforce are at risk of being exposed to violence both as women and as health-care workers. Globally, it is reported that women constitute up to 70% of the health-care workforce.
Kanat Sukhanberdiyev, WHO National Professional Officer in immunization, highlighted that violence against health-care workers is not only a personal tragedy, but also a structural problem that is rooted in social, economic, organizational and cultural factors.
“Therefore, it is imperative that we take action to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against health and care workers,” she said. “WHO finds it unacceptable that health workers in general are subject to attacks and harassment at workplaces. Health-care facilities should be a safe place, both for the treatment of patients and for the work of medical personnel.”
Experiences of violence contribute to women’s poor health and well-being, in addition to the pressures already experienced at work and at home. A study by WHO Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Health, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, found that women were more likely to report emotional exhaustion due to the need to perform household duties in addition to work, with long working days and several social factors also influencing a reduction in the quality of life.
According to WHO estimates, 19% of women aged 15-49 years have experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence in their lifetime. In 2022, there were 61 277 cases of domestic violence registered against women in Kazakhstan. The latest Gender Social Norms Index from the United Nations Development Programme found that more than 93% of citizens in Kazakhstan, both men and women, hold gender biases against women.
Timur Akbashev, a participant at the opening ceremony of the art installation, said: “The gender violence problem is prevalent in Kazakhstan. We need to talk publicly about it as much as possible to make it visible. Women shouldn’t be afraid to speak. As for us men, it is necessary to educate ourselves to understand that women are not our personal belongings, but people first. We need to try to understand each other as much as possible. Husbands and wives should be heard by each other.”
Event notice
23 November–10 December 2023, Astana, Kazakhstan
As part of the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, an interactive art installation entitled “Untold” will open at the Nurly Zhol railway station in Astana on 23 November. The idea behind the event is to shed light on the often hidden and untold stories of violence and discrimination against women and girls in Kazakhstan.
The installation is designed to be shaped by those who visit it. At the heart of the art space are private booths where exhibition visitors can write down their stories anonymously or share thoughts on combating violence. These stories are then displayed on a public wall in the concourse. In this way, each visitor contributes to the narrative of the exhibition, gradually transforming it into a collective story.
By bringing these stories of violence and discrimination to light, the installation aims to break the silence in society, recognize the strength and resilience of those who have endured violence, and encourage reflection on the role each of us plays in tackling this problem.
The interactive installation will be open for two weeks and will end on 10 December, International Human Rights Day. The stories collected will be used by the organizers in future information campaigns to combat discrimination against women and girls.
The exhibition is a joint effort by WHO, the Office of the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan, the UN Development Programme, the UN Population Fund, UN Women and the Spotlight Initiative, in collaboration with the national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, to highlight the importance of zero tolerance of violence.