Exhibition dates: March 1- April 15, 2017
The exhibition “Women’s Rights are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-based Inequality, Violence and Discrimination.” gets it’s title from an important speech given by Hillary Rodham Clinton at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on women held in Beijing in 1995 that has become an anthem for a movement. In her speech, Mrs. Clinton suggests that: If the term “women’s rights” were to be interchangeable with the term “human rights” the world community would be a better place because human rights affect the women who raise the world’s children, care for the elderly, run companies, work in hospitals, fight for better education and better healthcare.
Yet gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in most societies. Across the globe, women lack access to decent work opportunities and face occupational segregation and wage disparities. Women are often denied access to basic education and health care, suffer from violence and discrimination, and are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.
This exhibition features posters created by both men and women to celebrate and acknowledge the vital role that all citizens play in protecting and promoting human rights. Challenging gender inequality and stereotypes, advancing reproductive and sexual rights, protecting women and girls against brutality, these posters promote women’s empowerment, education and participation in society. The designers challenge religious and cultural norms and patriarchal attitudes that subordinate, stigmatize or restrict women from achieving their fullest potential through use of dynamic text and imagery.
This exhibition was organized and curated by Elizabeth Resnick, Professor of Graphic Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and presented in collaboration with Northeastern’s Gallery 360, MassArt and the College of Art, Media & Design.