Narr(ACT)ive: how to transform European society through non-sexist, non-racist and non-violent communications

-Fifty people in Spain, Italy and France join forces to decolonize and deconstruct the traditional communicative model in the European project Narr(ACT)ive

-Is it ok?: the disruptive communication campaign that aims to make psychological violence against women and gender roles visible as an engine to transform society on the 25th of November

-In Spain, 23.4% of women suffer from poor mental health compared to 15.6% of men according to the WHO

NARR(ACT)IVE | Is it ok?: the disruptive communication campaign that aims to make psychological violence against women and gender roles visible as an engine to transform society on the 25th of November

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, this 25N Narr(ACT)ive is launching a European campaign to raise awareness of the impact of sexist stereotypes and prejudices on women’s mental health. According to the WHO, the prevalence of female mental ill health in Spain is 8% higher than that of men.

Aware that communication is a very powerful tool that has a direct and significant impact on the way society thinks and acts, the project aims to reorient the traditional communication model to promote inclusion and equality. This is the main purpose of Narr(ACT)ive, a transnational project between Spain, Italy and France by Jovesólides, CEFA and Quartiers du Monde, funded by the European Union.

Narr(ACT)ive: a communication campaign to “look good“

The Narr(ACT)ive project aims to change the way we talk about women and people who are discriminated against because of their gender. It wants to promote a fairer and more inclusive way of speaking, one that respects everyone, and one that allows those who are discriminated against to decide how they are named.

By creating a communication campaign under the slogan ‘Is it ok?’ that contains these parameters: non-racism, non-sexism and anti-colonialism.

The Alicante city of Elche was the setting for the filming of Jovesólides’ communication campaign. As a result of the workshop held in the city of Elche, the six participants, coming from different branches of communication, activism or entrepreneurship, have devised a disruptive campaign in ‘reel’ format that illustrates different stereotypes that diverse women experience throughout their lives, focusing on the psychological violence that society urges them to live with.

NARR(ACT)IVE | Participants of the Jovesólides training workshop in Elche

This campaign joins those created by CEFA in Italy and Quartiers du Monde in France, resulting in a European transnational action on the occasion of 25N with violence against women as a central theme. In total, almost fifty people have contributed to the development of these communication campaigns.

Communication goes hand in hand with a constantly changing society

Spain, 1960s. An advertisement shows us the reality of the time: the role of women was one of subordination to men. Housework was their exclusive domain.

NARR(ACT)IVE | The ads of your life – Doing the dishes, cleaning and cooking, it’s a woman’s job (RTVE)

Could such an advert be shown on television today?

Although there are still isolated cases, sexist and racist advertisements have decreased on television thanks to gender equality legislation, growing social pressure from feminist movements and the change in perspective that our society has experienced.

Traditional media and social networks play a key role in building non-violent societies by promoting values of peace, respect and dialogue for effective equality and inclusion. By breaking down stereotypes, attitudes are transformed and social cohesion is fostered, reducing hate speech, which is why it is vital to build anti-colonial, feminist and anti-racist communications; in other words, non-violent communications.

Building good mental health through communication

According to the WHO, gender-based violence is directly linked to gender stereotypes because these social roles impose expectations on how men and women should behave, and reinforce the idea that men have the right to exercise control over women.

Macho clichés dehumanise women, limit social expectations about their capabilities and give them a subordinate place, normalising abuse and control.

In Spain, 23.4% of women suffer from poor mental health compared to 15.6% of men according to the WHO.

Is it ok? When faced with a racist comment or a sexist situation, take action! It is up to you not to perpetuate stereotypes and gender roles.

Narr(ACT)ive is a project of CEFA ONLUS (Italy), Quartiers du Monde (France) and Jovesólides (Spain) funded by the European Union. Follow all the news and actions of the project through the hashtag #NarrACTive on social media and the project website.