"A JOB CAN BE A WAY OUT FOR WOMEN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE""A JOB CAN BE A WAY OUT FOR WOMEN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE"
- The Compromiso Awards [Commitment Awards] recognise the work of different people and not-for-profit organisations on issues related to the workplace integration of women who have been, or are being abused and awareness raising about gender-based violence.
- There are two new awards this year: one for journalism, and special recognition award from the jury.
- Amongst others, the jury for the Awards includes the Spanish Government’s Representative on Gender-Based Violence, María José Ordoñez, Judge Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and Luis Lorente, the cinematographer, screenwriter and director of the film Rotas.
Madrid, 17th July 2017. Clece Social, Clece’s social project, has launched Edition III of the Compromiso Awards. These seek to recognise and drive social initiatives aimed at helping disadvantaged collectives. Unlike previous editions, this time the Awards are at State level and will focus on a specific problem: gender-based violence.
At the launch event at Teatros del Canal (Madrid), José Andrés Elizaga, Clece’s Director of Communications and External Relations, emphasized that gender-based violence is “a serious problem which we are particularly aware of in Clece. Today, one in 8 women in this country experience a permanent tragedy in a situation of real personal isolation.”
José Andrés added, “We therefore believe that everyone can contribute something, whether it is increasing social awareness, making the problem visible, offering a way out and help to women who are abused, or recognising the work done by many people and organisations.
During the event, film director Luis Lorente, who is Jury President for the Awards, underlined that “gender-based violence is characterised by the “double C”: it is covert and continuous”. He explained that although the figures on women who suffer this affliction look high, there are still a large number in the shadows who still do not complain.
The purpose of the awards is to recognise the work of different people and not-for-profit organisations on issues relating to the workplace integration of women who who have been, or are being abused, and awareness raising about gender-based violence.
A jury of distinguished individuals has been formed for Edition III of the Awards. Members are from institutions and civil society and are involved in the struggle against Gender-Based violence. They are: María José Ordóñez, Government Representative on Gender-Based Violence; Lucía del Carmen Cerón, Director of the Institute for Women and Equal Opportunities; Ángeles Carmona, President of the Observatory against Domestic and Gender-Based Violence; Marta Ariño, Board Member of G+J España; Luis Lorente, film director, script writer and director of the film Rotas; Judge Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Gemma Nierga, Journalist, and Cristóbal Valderas, President of Clece.
Luis Lorente, who is also President of the Award Jury, emphasized that “gender-based violence is characterized by the “double C”: it is covert and continuous”, explaining that although the figures seem high, many women still do not register official complaints.
Edition III of the Compromiso Awards will have the following categories:
- Best Social Project Award to not-for-profit entities. For projects relating to women who are victims of gender-based violence. This category will present the award to the three best projects selected by the jury, each award worth 10,000 Euros.
- Award to the Author of the Best Journalism on gender-based violence. A single award of 7,000 Euros.
- Special Award to the most outstanding Individual in the struggle against gender-based violence. To be selected by the jury.
Candidate nominations may be submitted up to 20th September this year by any not-for-profit organisation or communication professional who wishes to participate.
Borne of commitment
Women who are victims of gender-based violence represent one of the collectives which is a focus for the Clece social project, Clece Social, and which the company is especially aware of. In addition to managing shelters on behalf of public authorities, Clece carries out awareness raising initiatives such as the Integration Forums. These are organised by different Autonomous Communities with the aim of discussing the problems experienced by this collective. Other initiatives are campaigns linked to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and involvement in institutional projects, such as “Hay Salida” [There is a Way Out].
The company also strongly supports the workplace integration of people from this collective. More than 170 women who have suffered from male violence currently form an active part of the Clece workforce. José Andrés Alizaga asserted “We try to support these women, facilitating their placement in the labour market, therefore helping them to recover their self-esteem, personal autonomy, and economic independence. A job opportunity means that far from their own environment, they can develop and form a new life. In many cases, this provides a way out of the problem”.
Clece’s work to support and integrate victims of gender-based violence was recognised by the President of the Spanish Government in 2016. It was also the only company invited by the UN to present its model for integrating women who are victims of gender-based violence in to the workplace.