Partnership for Development puts the theatre in the function of healing society wounds

Powerful theatre play "Love and Violence" was performed at the UN Eco House in Podgorica, to mark the new season of the play tailored for adolescents to help them recognize and better understand different forms of violence against women, not just those visible ones.

Over 3000 high school students will be reached during the new season of the play, which was enabled through an exemplary case of Partnership for Development – between the UN and private sector. With the financial support of company AVON Cosmetics, the theatre play will be performed in more than 20 high schools throughout Montenegro.

Executive Director of Avon Cosmetics Montenegro, Filip Popović, emphasizes that education is one of the key segments of the fight against violence against women. "We are proud that such initiative exists in our country. Within our campaign ‘Say NO to violence against women’ we have donated funds for the continuation of its realization. I thank our Avon Ladies who directly contributed by purchasing our specially marked Courage Products, helping thousands of young people in Montenegro to better understand the violence and, hopefully, more willingly oppose it," Popović said.

Education is key to fighting against violence against women.

Filip Popović, Executive Director of Avon Cosmetics Montenegro

The interactive play, directed by theatre director Petar Pejaković, was produced during the 16 Days campaign in 2016 within the partnership between Drama Studio "Prazan prostor", Ministry of education and experts for gender-based violence.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro Fiona McCluney says the participatory theatre format has proven to be an excellent way of communicating with high school students. "The play ‘Love and Violence’ is a result of our joint efforts with the partners aimed to bring the complex problem to adolescents in a form they easily understand. We did not accidentally choose adolescents as the target group – at that age, they finally shape their attitudes and patterns of behavior," McCluney said, reminding that violence against women has deep roots at traditional attitudes of unequal power of men and women and the division into traditional gender roles.

Based on true events, “Love and Violence” is a so-called "forum-theatre" play which implies breaks in critical moments and involvement of the audience.

We did not accidentally choose adolescents as the target group.

Fiona McCluney, UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro

Efforts to combat violence against women are most often directed at physical violence, while other forms of violence often remain in the shadow. The play "Love and Violence" largely addresses exactly those "invisible" forms of violence, such as emotional, psychological, economic, etc. Some of the protagonists of the play were victims of violence themselves.

It's the form of a socially-engaged theatre which envisages putting the art in the function of improving society. It seems to be an excellent way to empower young people. Authentic real-life situations concerning male-female relations among high school students proved to be very close to the target group. They understood very well what was going on on the scene and, most importantly, they joined.

Petar Pejaković, director of the theatre play

"We play real situations on the stage and at some point, it's not easy because some of us have experienced situations which we play," said 18-year-old Ivona Rakovic, one of the protagonists.

"Love and Violence" play opens an entirely new format of communication with young people on the topic of violence against women. It helps them clearly recognize different forms of violence and send them out a strong message not to allow violence, not to endure it, but to report it and fight it.