The Federal Government will allocate up to €30,000 for projects aimed at increasing the presence of women in public spaces, through works of art or statues. The State Secretary for Gender Equality Sarah Schlitz announced the launch of the "Own The Streets" initiative on Thursday.
Schlitz stated that only 6% of Belgian streets were named after women, most of which were saints or monarchs, which led to feminist activists calling on the government to ensure better visibility of women in public spaces.
The Federal Government has thus launched a call for any projects "relevant to women or their experiences, which will be permanently accessible to the population in public spaces," stated Schlitz. Applicants will have until 1 May to submit their applications, with any future projects to be funded by the government from €5,000 to €30,000 and put in place between 1 August 2023 and 29 February 2024.
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These projects will have to be approved by Belgium's Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, which has already set out specific criteria. The institute has asked for all applications to ensure that projects either portray Belgian women or feminist personalities, as well as break taboos on gender stereotypes or sexual and reproductive rights.
Moreover, these projects will have to reinforce the fight against gender-based violence, especially in Belgian streets which Schlitz says "still remain a hostile space for women." A study released in January 2022 revealed that women still faced unsafe in the streets of Belgium, especially in Belgium.
