The Łódź Branch of the Polish Red Cross is organizing the campaign "Raise Your Voice Against Violence."

Violence based on gender, particularly against women and girls, remains one of the most widespread and pervasive human rights violations in the world. In Europe, 1 in 10 women experiences gender-based violence from a colleague or partner. Violence negatively affects the mental and physical health of women. Consequently, it impacts careers, economic situations, social interactions, and, more broadly, the functioning of families and entire communities. In our campaign, we will focus on ways to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence, on empowering women, and on recognizing violent behaviors. We particularly want to emphasize the agency of each and every one of us and our role in helping those experiencing violence.   

November 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women December 10 – International Human Rights Day 

We warmly invite the residents of Łódź and the surrounding areas to participate in the campaign. Please pay special attention to the registration and to whom the individual activities are directed. Stay with us! 

November 30 – Stop Violence Against Women Walk. A walk following the paths of women from Łódź with the Łódź Women's Trail. In the biographies of many women, successes intertwine with difficult experiences. This was the case for the heroines we will talk about during the walk: sculptor Katarzyna Kobro, painter Estera Karp, and women fighting for their rights, the weavers. We will also consider why the justice system started addressing domestic violence and sexual harassment only recently; the event is open, and the walk will be translated into Ukrainian and PJM; time: 11 AM - 1 PM, meeting point at Piotrkowska 32 

December 2 – Workshops Facts and Myths about Violence with the Ktoś Foundation: what are the types of violence, what is gender-based violence, what help can be obtained in Łódź; activities for adults; registration is required: https://tiny.pl/0xb2kz47 

December 4 – Workshops Effective Intervention Strategies and Empathy in Action with Magdalena Korczyk – Waszak: empathetic listening and supporting individuals experiencing violence, activities based on the concept of Nonviolent Communication; activities for adults; registration is required: https://tiny.pl/fn3rb-1m 

December 5 – Workshops Creative Expression of Emotions – Drums with Folk’n’Roll: building a community and creating a safe space for exploring thoughts and emotions through art; activities for adults; registration is required: https://tiny.pl/14rdxgy6 

December 8 – WenDo Workshops with Agnieszka Biała from the Owoc Spotkania Foundation: assertiveness and self-defense workshops, where women learn how to respond to various forms of boundary-crossing, recognizing stereotypes and beliefs, enhancing a sense of self-confidence, self-worth, and agency; activities for women; registration is required: https://tiny.pl/jq3d_nmz 

December 8 – Stop Violence Against Women Walk. A walk following the paths of women from Łódź with the Łódź Women's Trail. Women who fell victim to human trafficking, Łódź workers and maids exposed to various forms of violence, artists whose struggle for the right to creative expression was accompanied by difficult personal experiences - these are just some of the heroines of the walk. While wandering through Łódź, we will talk about the mechanisms of violence against women, but also about their effective resistance to this phenomenon; the event is open, and the walk will be translated into Ukrainian and PJM, time: 11 AM - 1 PM, meeting point at the entrance to Łódź Fabryczna station from Kilińskiego Street 

December 13 – Creative Expression of Emotions Workshops with Jola Królicka: artistic activities empowering women; the event is for beneficiaries of the PCK Integration Center 

December 17 – Discussion Panel Equality in Diversity – Combating Discrimination as a Foundation for Countering Violence: we will look at manifestations of discrimination in various areas and how it can be prevented; we invite you to listen to the conversation of specialists and join the discussion; the event is open, time: 1 PM - 3 PM, City Activity Factory, Tuwima Street 10  

The color of the campaign is ORANGE, which represents hope and a better future free from violence