Breaking the gender bias

ReFest aims to reinstill a sense of empowerment and togetherness in this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day. Photo: Pixabay

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Empower and 3R Media will present ReFest: #BreakTheBias at The Grey Box, GMBB, on March 5 to 6 from 10am to 6pm.

The weekend-long festival will feature a women-led bazaar, film screenings, performances, talks, interactive installations on gender empowerment and a musical theatre performance.

Videos, forums and talks spotlighting gender empowerment and issues will take place throughout the weekend alongside a talented lineup of homegrown musicians. Photo: Pixabay

ReFest aims to reinstill a sense of empowerment and togetherness in this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day. Adopting UN Women’s official theme for International Women’s Day 2022, #BreakTheBias, this women-led festival has been curated to actively platform women’s groups and initiatives that work on social issues or are in support of marginalised communities.

Videos, forums and talks spotlighting gender empowerment and issues will take place throughout the weekend alongside a talented lineup of homegrown musicians. Photo: Pixabay

Videos, forums and talks spotlighting gender empowerment and issues will take place throughout the weekend alongside a talented lineup of homegrown musicians.

ReFest will also feature an exclusive series of interactive installations to further promote the existing efforts of women in defying gender biases. To end both days, a contemporary musical theatre, Pulau Sri, will take over the event space, casting a new light on the folklore of Mahsuri. The ReFest bazaar will be adorned with a wide range of women-led local businesses, social enterprises and gender advocacy booths.

The free event will strictly comply with the latest Covid-19 SOPs and all guests are encouraged do pre-event testing. Photo: Pixabay

Empower Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation that promotes the advancement of women’s political and economic equality towards justice and democracy, centred on feminist and human rights principles, and 3R Media, a media production company created to recognise the importance of women’s roles in society and their ability to challenge and change the conditions in their lives and communities through the use of media, have partnered together on a five-month programme with support from the US Embassy called Creating Agents for Change, with the aim of equipping young gender activists on using media as a tool for advocacy. The advocacy videos produced by young gender advocates from this programme will be screened throughout ReFest for public viewing.

The free event will strictly comply with the latest Covid-19 SOPs and all guests are encouraged do pre-event testing.

More info at: facebook.com/EmpowerMalaysia/