During the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), UNIDIR is partnering with Swiss artist Franziska Greber to bring an immersive art installation to the Palais des Nations, Geneva. Through art and dialogue, the installation “Disarming silence” invites reflections about the problem of violence against women, which is widespread worldwide.
A 2023 study by United Nations Development Programme, with data from 80 countries covering over 85% of the world’s population, showed that 1 in 4 women over 15 years old has experienced intimate partner violence. In times of conflict, gender-based violence often escalates into more egregious, widespread, and weaponized forms – manifesting as conflict-related sexual violence.
Addressing these problems requires not only targeted legal and policy frameworks, but also a coordinated response across disciplines: human rights, arms control, humanitarian action, public health and peacebuilding. Only through such integrated efforts can we confront the systemic drivers of GBV and support survivors.
About UNIDIR’s Integrated Approaches – Gender and Disarmament Programme
The Integrated Approaches – Gender and Disarmament Programme has a multi-year workplan encompassing original research to generate policy-relevant knowledge on international security initiatives that consider gender equality and youth engagement. We facilitate dialogue, build capacity and produce resource tools to support arms control and disarmament stakeholders in translating awareness of diversity and equality into practical actions.
About the artist: Franziska Greber
Swiss artist and psychotherapist Franziska Greber responds to GBV through immersive, large-scale installations that give voice to survivors. Her work transforms public spaces into arenas of remembrance and resistance, using symbolic materials such as clothing and metal structures to reflect both trauma and resilience. By connecting personal testimonies with collective memory, her art challenges societal exclusion and reclaims space for survivors in the public and political sphere.
