#Undress522.
ABAAD campaigned to repeal Article 522 of Lebanon's penal code, which let a rapist escape prosecution by marrying his victim. Parliament abolished it in August 2017.
- Brand
- ABAAD Resource Center for Gender Equality
- Agency
- Leo Burnett Beirut
- Market
- Lebanon
- Region
- MENA
- Year
- 2016
The challenge
Under Article 522, prosecution and sentencing were suspended if a rapist married the woman or girl he attacked. ABAAD wanted the law gone and needed public pressure on MPs while a committee drafted the repeal.
The idea
The campaign used the image of the bride to make the law visible. Women in white with boxes over their heads ran a flashmob at the Beirut Marathon in November 2016, a bruised and bandaged 'bride' stood outside Parliament during committee debate, and a video showed a beaten woman ending up in a wedding dress. In March 2017 sculptor Mireille Honein hung 31 white dresses between the palm trees of the Beirut Corniche, alongside the #Undress522 hashtag, banners and an online petition.
Results
- The 'A white dress does not cover the rape' video reached an estimated 20.8 million people online during the 16 Days of Activism, according to Girls Not Brides.
- Lebanon's parliament abolished Article 522 on 16 August 2017, after a parliamentary committee declared its abolition in February 2017 (Wikipedia).
Case study source: Girls Not Brides Source ↗
Awards
- Cannes Lions 2017PR LionsBronze
- Cannes Lions 2017Glass LionsSilver
- Cannes Lions 2017PR LionsSilver
- Cannes Lions 2017Entertainment LionsBronze
Credits
- Creative agency
- Leo Burnett Beirut
- Artist (Corniche dress installation)
- Mireille Honein
- Director (video)
- Danielle Rizkallah
