Social Media enables people to communicate and convey a range of information, views and ideas that conveniently reach a wider community thereby creating a powerful impact. The campaigns carried out through this powerful platform are capable of influencing the community at large. Two such influential campaigns that our fellow clubs have carried out via social media were recognized under this category at the 30th Rotaract District Assembly Awards!
සමාජ මාධ්යයන් වර්තමානයේ දී මිනිසාට සන්නිවේදනයට සහ තොරතුරු, අදහස් ආදිය හුවමාරු කර ගැනීමට වඩාත් උපකාරී වන ශක්තිමත් ක්රමෝපායක් බවට පත් වී ඇත. සමාජ ජාලයන් හරහා පවත්වාගෙන යන ව්යාපෘති, ප්රජාව තුළ විශාල වශයෙන් වෙනස්කම් ඇතිකිරීමට සමත්වී ඇත. සමාජය තුළ වෙනස්කම් ඇති කළ එවැනි ව්යාපෘති ද්විත්වයක් මෙම වර්ගීකරණය යටතේ, සම්මානයට ලක් කිරීම සිදු කෙරිණි.
வளர்ந்து வரும் தகவல் பரிமாறல் தளங்களில் ஒன்றான சமூக ஊடகம் பலவித தகவல்கள், காட்சிகள், யோசனைகளை பகிர உதவுகின்றது. இச்சக்தி வாய்ந்த தளத்தில் வெளியிடப்படும் பிரச்சாரங்கள் சமூகத்தை பெருமளவில் பாதிக்கும் திறன் கொண்டவை.சமூக ஊடகங்கள் மூலம் கழகங்கள் மேற்கொண்ட இரு செல்வாக்கு மிக்க பிரச்சாரங்கள் இவ்வகையில் அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.
“Someone’s Daughter” was organized by the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura with the aim of creating awareness on issues related to violence, injustice and harassment against women, which has become a prominent issue in Sri Lanka. The project was implemented in two phases.
Phase 1 primarily featured a two-fold social media campaign which. Personal opinions and views revolving around this broad topic were publicized with the contribution of 13 reputable personalities, artists and experts in the field including Mr. Thumindu Dodanthenna, Mr. Ridma Weerawardena, Dr. Samitha Ethuldoraarachchi, Ms. Ashcharya Peiris and our very own DRR Rtr. PP Krishan Balaji.
Simultaneously, a creative online quote challenge with the participation of many fellow Rotaractors, a series of articles emphasizing the public’s perspective and a discussion with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) were successfully carried out.
Phase 2 – Firstly, the Yeheliya Foundation partnered with RAC USJ as the Official Knowledge Partner for the campaign where 3 important videos were published. The topics of cybercrimes, sexual harassment and domestic violence and the possible legal measures one can take in such situations were addressed.
Secondly, with the help of many District Officials including the DRRE, Rotaract District Secretary, ADRRs, Presidents and Secretaries representing 7 other Rotaract Clubs, a series of individual videos containing their personal opinions and perspectives of the issue were published.
Thirdly, a public survey was conducted with the objective of measuring the awareness and knowledge of the public regarding this prevalent issue. Upon receiving an overwhelming amount of questions through the survey to which 267 individuals responded, a live Q & A session was hosted thereafter to discuss the most common questions the public has regarding this issue.
A Story of Brilliant Efforts Contd.
Fourthly, videos of victims anonymously sharing their stories was published and it was followed by yet another a video containing all the hotlines, legal institutes and support services that anyone can reach out to if they encounter any harassment or violence.
*Gets stuck* Is Fifthly a word? – Help! …… *ahem*. *පස්වෙනියට*, a meticulously designed Digital Magazine including the articles submitted by the public, transcripts of the videos from phase 1, analysis of the public survey and much more information regarding the issue of violence against women was published!
*Finally, we get to use the word “Finally!”*
AND FINALLY RAC USJ definitely saved the BEST FOR THE LAST. A significant milestone was reached with the launch of ‘VOICE IT’- The First Ever Mobile App in Sri Lanka to report violence against women, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs!
To conclude, we must mention that this brilliant initiative’s fitting name does ring a bell.
Contd: “My father thankfully is not alive to see how Mr.Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see the disrespect of Mr.Yoho on the floor of this house towards me on Television. And I am here to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men. Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. And when a decent man messes up as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologise.”
To know more about RAC USJ you can follow them on;
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=265357206808794&ref=content_filter
The project Women Force 2020 was an initiative undertaken by the Rotaract Club of Colombo East in collaboration with the Rotaract Clubs of Achievers Lanka Business School, ANC, Colombo East, Colombo Mid Town, University of Colombo Faculty of Science, ICBT, Jaela Kandana and University of Kelaniya, with the motive of empowering women and creating awareness on gender equality. Women Force 2020 was carried out through online platforms in two phases, the first one being an awareness campaign on sexual harassment and abuse faced by women. This created a much needed conversation on how widespread the issue of sexual harassment and abuse is within our community, where strong and resilient women who have faced issues of violence shared their stories on the Women Force project social media platforms.
The second phase of the project was executed by conducting Instagram Live sessions that focused on gender equality with help of 18 speakers altogether! Among them were fifteen power women who work at the grassroot level related to issues in question within their own field of expertise (Dasuni Athauda, Rasini Bandara, Sharanya Sekaram, Naushalya Rajapaksha, Thareendra Liyanage, Nethmini Medawala, Sajini Wickramasinghe, Shelani Palihawadana, Tarangee Mutucumarana, Anjana Kulasekara, Shanuki De Alwis, Shiandra Gooneratne, Nabeela Iqbal, Devni Wimalasena and Stephanie Sansoni) and three male advocates for gender equality (Sharan Velauthan, Daniel Thambyrajah and Kapila Rasnayaka). Women Force served as an absolutely powerful tool in shattering certain norms that always stand against the creation of a more inclusive and able community!
To know more about the Rotaract Club of Colombo East, you can follow them on;
https://www.facebook.com/RotaractColomboEast/
Beyond the speck of a doubt, the clubs that won these awards deserved it for the efforts put in to bring about an impact and this category of awards is undeniably a source of inspiration to all other clubs to give their best and to explore new paths they could venture on with their teams! However, as we always say, it’s beyond competing for awards! Individuals and clubs are motivated to use social media as a tool to bring about social justice as they “Strive as One!”
Thankyou to all our fellow clubs and fellow Rotaractors for providing us with the details!
Written & Compiled By:
The Blog Team 2020/21
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