The National Council for Women and UNFPA launched on Wednesday a game kit aimed at raising awareness around violence against women with Safe Kids.
The kit was introduced during a workshop targeting female religious preachers to train them to use these games with their communities.
“We wanted to introduce this game with someone who has direct contact and interacts with the community,” Germaine Haddad, assistant representative at UNFPA Egypt, said, adding that the preachers trained during this workshop will get to train others to use these games to amplify messages on gender-based violence.
Haddad explained that workshops and seminars are not always the ideal way to reach young people, which is why interactive and innovative methods work better.
The first of its kind kit includes a board game and a card game, spreading messages on gender equality and shedding light on issues such as sexual harassment and accepting violence.
“The games create a dialogue around these ideas,” Haddad said.
Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women, said that the games include important messages that can be used by preachers during their work in churches and mosques. She added that the game is a “developmental weapon” to combat violence against women.
The board game, dubbed “Change X Change,” which UNFPA designed with Safe Kids, includes unfinished Arabic proverbs related to women and girls, asking users to finish them with empowering statements.
The card game, labeled “Safeelings,” is played one-on-one creates a safe space for young people to express their feelings without shame, especially if subjected to any physical or sexual violation.
The cards include different feelings such as “angry, happy, sad…etc,” through which the player can identify how they are feeling. The other player then delves into these feelings and helps dig for the reasons behind these feelings.
According to Rawya Khalil, one of the preachers who attended the workshop, says that the games help change ideas, not only among children, but among women and men as well.
“The games instill trust among children and adults,” she said.
Maybell Yaacoub, another preacher, explained that the games deals with the psychology of children, adding that it is not just designed for children but for people of all ages.
The games are also designed for teachers to play with students and families to enjoy together.
This comes as part of activities planned within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
