In recent decades, more and more courageous women around the world are coming forward after being put in unsafe situations. Think #metoo and The Voice, for example. Do women feel safe at the University of Applied Sciences? How do we deal with transgressive behavior? What is needed to promote women’s safety at HU?

For the third edition of International Women’s Day, organized by the Diversity & Inclusion network, the theme chosen was: Safety in the Workplace and Classroom. On Wednesday, March 8 it was finally time to discuss.

After a brief introduction by the host of the day Niusha Froozesh, a Communication student, the performance “Do You Want What I Want?” by The Theater Movement began. The play was based on HU students’ experiences and dealt with consent, feminism, and safety. For example, one scene played how a woman walks the streets at night with her key between her knuckles, fearing for her safety while on that same street, a man was walking home after going out, enjoying the silence of the streets. The narrative of both sexes was told as voice-overs so that spectators could follow along in the players’ train of thought. After the performance, there was a short intermission during which the spectators interacted with each other about the play. For example, one of the male audience members admitted to never having thought that women might feel unsafe walking the streets alone at night.

After the break, the panel discussion began under the guidance of HU Diversity Officer, Elena Valbusa. The panelists were Naznin Musa, a student of Commercial Economics at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Winner of the Echo Award 2022, Dr. Andrea Donker, lector of Knowledge Analysis Social Safety at the Knowledge Center Social Innovation, Lisa Sanders, the project leader of Social Safety, the National Prevention Agreement and the Utrecht Introduction Time and Elise Nauta, who after having been director of the Institute of Social Work for 7 years has been the director of Human Capital of the Hogeschool Utrecht since October 2022.

The panel was asked what safety means to them and who is responsible for safety. The importance of communication in ensuring safety, findability, and the function of confidants, and the definition and measurement of social safety were discussed. The audience also actively participated in the conversation.

The panel discussion concluded that safety concerns us all and that it is important to stay in dialogue with each other so that all developments remain visible. After the discussion, all present were able to enjoy refreshments and chat together about the day.

Read Trajectum’s coverage of this event.

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