In the 9th edition of “A Sea of Words” contest, we are calling for real or fictional stories that address different experiences and views on the various types of gender violence and discrimination within our diverse societies, in order to question established patterns and promote new ways of approaching equality.

Almost since its creation, the IEMed has been dealing with gender equality in the Mediterranean both in activities and studies and now hosts the Euro-Mediterranean Women's Foundation (FFEM). Out of this background and expertise, IEMed considers gender violence any expression of violence or abuse related to women's rights, for the simple reason that they are women. This means gender violence extends far beyond physical or sexual aggression, and is often perpetuated by discriminatory behaviors and inequalities such as the wage gap between men and women, the lack of women in positions of responsibility, discrimination against and stereotyping female figures in the media, reducing the female figure to sexual object, or the aesthetic and behavioral pressure advertizing constantly places on women.

Key call conditions :

- Call for submissions of short stories by authors from the 44 countries within the Euro-Mediterranean area, through the national networks of the Anna Lindh Foundation. - Authors must be between 18 and 30 years old on the date of the deadline for submitting texts.

For more info: http://www.iemed.org/dossiers-en/dossiers-iemed/cultures-mediterranies/a-sea-of-words-2016/awards#.Vx8w41aLSM9