The University of Oulu participates in the UN campaign to stop violence against women – attend an open lecture on November 19

Violence against women is a pervasive global issue. The UN's Orange the World campaign takes place annually from 25 November to 10 December to prevent and eliminate violence against women. The orange color of the campaign symbolises hope for a future where life without violence is everyone's right. The University of Oulu is participating in the Orange the World campaign by hosting an open lecture and also by bringing the orange colour to campus screens.

In support of the campaign, the University of Oulu is hosting an open lecture focused on violence against women and helping victims of violence. The lecture takes place at Tellus Backstage, Linnanmaa campus on November 19 at 14:15-15:45. The lecturers are Tuire Tikkanen, Director of the Domestic Violence Work Unit and Teija Hyväri, Violence Work Specialist from the Oulu Mother and Child Home and Shelter. The lecture can also be followed remotely on Zoom: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/61482549636, and it is part of the course "Sukupuolten tasa-arvo moniulotteisena ilmiönä ". The language of the lecture is Finnish.

According to UNWomen, violence against women is the most common human rights violation in the world – one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence, primarily from an intimate partner. Sexual harassment and violence are also common in public spaces and workplaces. A recent Finnish study by NYTKIS (The Coalition of Finnish Women's Associations) reveals that one in four men under the age of 35 believes that a woman can deserve the violence she experiences. Among all men, the figure is one in five.

Violence affects women in universities too. The UniSAFE project, which ended this year, studied the occurrence, prevention and consequences of gender-based violence in universities and research institutes in 15 European countries. The UniSAFE survey, which included over 42,000 students and staff from 46 European institutions, found that 62% of respondents had experienced gender-based violence. According to the UniSAFE report (pdf), the most common form was psychological violence (57%), while sexual harassment was experienced by 31%, physical violence by 6% and sexual violence by 3%. Only 13% reported their experiences due to reasons such as lack of clarity about the severity of the event and difficulty in recognising it.

The University of Oulu is committed to promoting gender equality and non-discrimination. The university aims to ensure that every member of the community feels welcome and valued as an equal. The University of Oulu is committed to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, which include the promotion of gender equality. In particular, SDG5 aims to ensure that all people, especially women and girls, have equal rights and opportunities.

Last updated: 15.11.2024