Art Production, Advocacy, and Human Rights

Madam Kjers Augland noted that the COVID-19 lockdown was an interesng experience. She was confined to her home. She observed that whereas she could draw movaon from her arst friends by aending art exhibionsandmeengs,thismeshewashome.

In her presentaon, Madam Kjers, who is an art collector and into beads arrangement, stated that to bridge the gapbetweenherisolaonfromarstsandartworks,shebeganbuyingmoreartworksforprivateuse.Kjerssaid that she became very acve in different online arst spaces where she contributed to content or expressed her viewsaboutatopic.

Kjers said that one key lesson she learned during the COVID19 lockdown is that she cannot live without physical touch. There is simply no replacement she added. Kjers recounted the back and forth and back travel she experienced between Ghana and Norway within three weeks when COVID- 19 restriconswereannounced.

Kjerssaidsheenjoysworkingwithpeopledirectlysofromthe beginningtheonlinelifewasdifficultforher.Kjersmenoned that through her work as human rights advocates for many years, she has observed with admiraon how South African women use art to self-produce Informaon Educaon and Communicaon (IEC) materials for advocacy on women's rightsissues.

Kjers noted that the producon of art and the emergence of creave processes by women who experience social injusces such as gender-based and sexual violence, offers an authenc narraveofwomen'sexperiences.

Women approved the public advocacy messages that were presented. Moreover, the women worked as a collecve, idenfied the challenge, idenfied the soluon and produced messagesforpublicadvocacy women in the arts share experiences on “digitall: innovaon and technology for gender equality” within the COVID-19 context.

Kjers added that women using their art to produce IEC materials for advocacy on social issues that directly affect them,canalsobeahealingexperiencefortheparcipants. Furthermore, it could be catharc and pave the way for answers to a number of quesons that have been lurking aboutthechallengeswomenface.

Works of interest to Kjersti collection.

An initiator of distributing art and craft from Ghana

Kjers Augland works as a deputy director and programme manager with over 20 years' experience in human rights, advocacy and development in Norway and internaonally. Proven leadership skills in managing strategic planning and implementaon to unlock innovaon, creavity and efficiency in teams and non-governmental organisaons.

Specialisaon in gender equality, sexual and reproducve health, and rights (SRHR), sexual orientaon & Gender identy (SOGIE), health, educaon, and youth. She has worked extensively on normave and policy processes both globally, within the UN, and at the naonal level.