Artivism as a Tool for Change: International Experience in Strengthening Advocacy
On 12 May, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund (UWF ) in partnership with the Dutch gender platform WO=MEN organised an online workshop titled “How to Strengthen Advocacy through Artivism.” The event brought together international experts who shared their experiences of using art as a tool for influence, raising awareness, and developing civic initiatives. More than 90 participants joined, including representatives of thee 1325 Coalitions and the civil society organizations.
During the workshop, participants discussed how artivism — a combination of art and activism — helps communicate complex social issues to wider audiences, evoke emotional responses, and engage new supporters in advocating for socially important change.
UWF Director Olesia Bondar shared Ukraine’s experience of using artivism to promote the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. To mark the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and related resolutions, 39 paintings were created with the participation of representatives from the government, diplomatic corps, local authorities, and civil society. The artworks were presented in both Kyiv and New York. This approach helped draw attention to the issue at national and international levels and engage new audiences.
Digital art, memes and universal language
Nadia van der Linde, Programme Manager International Process at WO=MEN, spoke about the Netherlands’ experience, emphasizing that effective artivism is built on a clear message, emotional connection with the audience, and active community engagement. She also highlighted the role of social media and memes as tools for spreading ideas. According to her, artivism helps explain complex issues, amplify the voices of marginalized groups, and reach beyond narrow communities.
Susan Fried, co-founder of Justice Beyond Jails, presented innovative approaches, including the use of digital art, artificial intelligence, and gamification. She spoke about storytelling projects that help make visible the experiences of women who have survived gender-based violence. Through such interactive formats, both survivors and audiences can better understand the difficult choices women face in critical moments.
Feminist activist from Uganda, Juliet Kushaba, shared her experience working in a context where violence against women remains a taboo topic. She emphasized that art makes it possible to speak about difficult issues even where words are limited — due to both social norms and linguistic diversity. According to her, artivism becomes a universal language that speaks to people’s emotions and experiences.
Working with survivors of violence
Karien Coppens, Executive Director of the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation, discussed the use of artivism in working with survivors of sexual violence. In particular, she mentioned the exhibition “Thinking of You,” which featured dresses belonging to women who had experienced violence. Such initiatives contribute to changing public perceptions, reducing stigma, and shaping collective memory.
Participants noted that artivism fosters networking, builds new partnerships, encourages knowledge exchange, and strengthens mutual support. At the same time, it helps engage representatives of government and international institutions in dialogue.
Karin de Jonge, Project Lead of the NAP 1325 at WO=MEN, encouraged participants to use artivism more actively in their work despite challenges and to see it as a tool for building international cooperation. She expressed hope that such meetings would lay the foundation for a network of exchange and the development of joint initiatives.
The event took place within the project “Building Inclusive Security: Localizing NAP 1325 across Ukraine,” implemented by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund with the support of the Government of the Netherlands.
