© 2013 MISMAONDA CONFIDENTIAL 1

© 2013 MISMAONDA CONFIDENTIAL 1

According to 2012 report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, an average of 44,000 women were killed every year in 111 countries from 2004 to 2009. On the basis of this figure, the estimated number of femicide victims worldwide is approximately 66,000, equal to 17 percent circa of all intentional homicides. These statistics also confirm the domestic nature of the phenomenon: in about half of all cases, the perpetrator is the woman’s current or former partner.



WOUNDED TO DEATH To raise public awareness of domestic violence and prod governments and government offices to adopt measures that prevent violent behavior toward women, theatrical language has the power to reach a vast audience in a direct manner. “Wounded to death” is a theatrical project written and directed by Serena Dandini, a well-known TV personality in Italy, in collaboration with Maura Misiti, a researcher from Italy’s National Research Center. It is a collection of monologues on femicide, following the model of the Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters. Through this work, the voices of the women who died at the hands of a husband, a fiance or an ex- can be heard for the first time. Each gives an account of her life, at times dramatic, at others tinged with irony. They are women from every corner of the earth, from the most disparate cultural and social contexts, who are united by the same tragic destiny. Although the specific circumstances might be fictionalized, all of the stories are based on real-life events.



THE INTERPRETERS On stage, the victims are played by women from the world of entertainment and civil society who have volunteered to read these stories. “Wounded to death” supports Italy’s D.i.R.e network, a hub for all the anti-violence centers in the country: a percentage of the proceeds was donated to the network. A similar donation will be made at each venue where the show will be performed, welcoming to the stage the most famous women of the host country and choosing a local project to support. In June a performance was given at the European Parliament in Brussels.


WORKING WITH ITALY In Italy, the show’s success brought to a political success as well. In June of 2013 the Italian Parliament ratified the Convention of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Always in the month of June, the Government set up an interministerial task force to coordinate the efforts of the various administrations fighting this phenomenon. Italy has made the fight against gender-based violence a priority of its action within the United Nations in the field of human rights. Among its main achievements in 2012 is the adoption of the General Assembly resolution on the elimination of female genital mutilations.



WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO PERFORM AT THE UNITED NATIONS In 2008 the Secretary-General of the United Nations launched “UNite to end violence against women” campaign, making the elimination of gender-based violence one of the Organization’s goals. UN Women has made the cause one of the main priority areas of its mandate. In March 2013 the UN Commission on the Status of Women adopted a political statement (known as the Agreed Conclusions) to intensify the action of the international community. The 25th of November is the international day to end violence against women. It will be a day when the United Nations will provide a stage for a performance of “Wounded to death” that sends a message of great impact and resonance. Excerpts from the original Italian text, translated and adapted into English for the UN audience, will be read by world-reknowned actors. The event will be open by statements of UN and Italian representatives, and will give visibility to the efforts of the United Nations to eliminate this phenomenon (e.g., the UN Trust Fund to end violence against women). The invited guests include: representatives of the United Nations, of UN Member States, civil society and private sector organizations.



THE PROJECT WEBSITE: www.blessedtodeath.com

Via San Felice 2, 40122 Bologna Italy Tel. +39 051 – 221411 www.mismaonda.eu contacts: Francesca Parisini mob. +39 338- 4156601 mail. [email protected] Giulia Mocenigo mob. +39 335- 1469179 mail. [email protected]


http://www.mismaonda.eu/

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© 2013 MISMAONDA CONFIDENTIAL 1