Young boy wins Plan's EU sponsored competition
Aliu's winning picture of gender equality
11 January 2010: On International Women’s Day (8th March 2009), Plan launched a European Union initiated global drawing competition on the topic “Gender Equality” in Guinea–Bissau (GNB). The competition allowed 10-14 year old girls and boys from 20 schools in Bissau and Bafata to express their views on the topic of gender equality.
Plan held 2 workshops with 180 children from 6 child participation groups and from 6 different communities. The objective of the workshops was to educate and sensitise the children on gender equality and teach them drawing skills in preparation for the competition. Plan GNB provided all the necessary art materials for the activities.
From the 180 drawings that resulted from the workshop, 36 were selected (6 from each group) by a panel of judges consisting of the President of the Bafata Children’s Parliament and one representative each from Plan GNB, the Ministry of Culture and the French Cultural Centre in Guinea Bissau (in accordance with EU criteria).
The picture of gender equality
After the drawings were selected, they were submitted to the European Commission in Guinea Bissau.
Closing date for submission of drawings was May 15th. A jury consisting of European children selected 14 drawings from around the globe, one of which was done by Aliu, aged 14, from Guinea-Bissau.
Aliu's drawing depicted a man and a woman together, preparing a meal. He understood that this task should be shared by both men and women alike. That is how he envisaged gender equality.
Boys and girls allowed to do the same things
On November 26th 2009 the European Commission held the official prize-giving ceremony for the participants from Guinea-Bissau. The Head of the European Delegation in Guinea-Bissau, Mr. Franco Nulli, gave Aliu his prize.
“My parents were very proud about this recognition. My friends were very happy and promised that in the next competition we would win more prizes. Everyday they enjoy themselves with the video game I won."
I ask my friends to study hard because our community and Guinea-Bissau expects a lot from us. Aliu also explained: “Boys and girls should be allowed to do the same things, for example, boys can be footballers so girls should be footballers too.”
