Enter the iExpress Art Campaign before June 20
Local artists are being asked to add their power to the Fem iExpress campaign in support of a project that increases access to safe abortion services for South Africa's women...
Fem’s iExpress Art Campaign calls on local artists to submit a visual concept, supported by a written explanation, to the organisation that will help advocate the importance of safe and legal abortions in our communities to eradicate the high rate of illegal and unsafe abortions of up to 50%.
The winning artwork will be used to support wall mural adverts that Fem aims at placing in township communities and a bursary worth R20 000 which can be invested towards a current or prospective fee requirement or any other general professional development such as attending a conference or taking motivation speaking classes. Please refer to Fem iExpress flyer for terms and conditions.
Fem’s iExpress Campaign accepts all forms of artwork including illustrations, photography, paintings, graffiti, etc. Artwork submissions should explore the realities surrounding access to safe and legal abortion in South Africa, and include a positive message on the issue.
Fem by safe2choose is a new mobile health initiative that leverages popular technology channels to remove obstacles between women and their decisions. To do this Fem has invested in an SMS platform, “the Referral Campaign”.
The Fem platform uses the power of mobile phones to refer women to safe and legal abortion service providers in their area, quickly and privately. The user simply sends the trigger word FEM to short code 30816 via SMS.
After answering a few questions, they receive a referral SMS to a legal and safe health facility in their area. A user requires a positive airtime balance to access the platform but is not charged for using the service.
“The iExpress Art Campaign is a vital project,” says Phephisile Mathizerd, Fem’s Associate Programme Officer. “Far too many of our people are risking injury simply because they don’t have access to the right information.
“The Fem platform can change this quite dramatically, but we do need support, and that support is not necessarily always a matter of money. Artists can help us spread the word very effectively just by putting their skills to work. We hope a lot of them will be motivated to join us on this journey.”
To Enter the iExpress Art Campaign:
- Entrants are required to write a motivational letter no longer than one page on why your artwork should be considered, and an explanation of the inspiration behind your creation.
- If your original piece of artwork is not photography or an illustration, please take a picture of your artwork for the actual submission.
- Email your submission to iexpress@fem.safe2choose.org
For inquiries email to hello@fem.safe2choose.org· Entries close on the 20th June, midnight.
Fem’s iExpress Campaign accepts all forms of artwork including illustrations, photography, paintings, graffiti, etc.
Artwork submissions should explore the realities surrounding access to safe and legal abortion in South Africa, and include a positive message on the issue. Terms and conditions apply.
Even though abortion is legal and every South African’s constitutional right, a shocking 50% of abortions in the country still take place in illegal and unsafe environments.
As a result, many South African women are placed at risk of physical harm for no other reason than they are unable to access appropriate health facilities for their reproductive health care.
“We launched the Fem pilot phase in Gauteng in February of this year, and it has been very successful,” adds Mathizerd.
“We are expanding quite quickly, including hiring new staff, taking feedback on the system, and modifying it. These are exciting times, and now we’re hoping our arts community will get involved to drive public exposure for the platform whilst helping us create awareness and inspiring a positive mindset shift.”
For more information, visit Fem’s social media pages:
About Fem:
Fem supports the right of every woman to make safe and informed decisions about her body, most especially the decision to have an abortion. We focus on the practical issues that are often overlooked by existing healthcare systems: privacy, transparency, convenience, cost, and supportive environments. Fem is a tool that leverages popular technology channels to remove obstacles between women and their decisions. We are currently available in South Africa with plans to grow.
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