As part of the United Nations’ annual global campaign to eliminate violence against women and girls, the visual artwork “No” by Professor Fakhriyah bint Khalfan Al-Yahyaei, Professor in the Department of Art Education at the College of Education and an artist, has been selected for this year’s campaign. The artwork is featured in the “Orange Days” activities, affirming the presence of Omani art on international platforms that carry messages which raise awareness and advocate for human rights. Twelve female artists from around the world are also participating in this initiative.

The Orange Days are among the UN’s most prominent initiatives, beginning on 25 November to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and concluding on 10 December, which marks International Human Rights Day. The campaign includes a wide range of activities, artworks, and performances designed to raise awareness of the violations faced by women globally. The colour orange symbolises a future free from gender-based violence.

This year, the city of Düsseldorf in Germany is hosting public displays of artworks and video pieces at Hafen KunstKino as part of the United Nations “UNiTE to End Violence Against Women” campaign, which is grounded in the principles of the CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The event features a distinguished group of international artists presenting their messages through creative formats, including lectures, theatre performances, workshops, and multimedia art projects.

Professor Al-Yahyaei is participating with a video artwork titled “No”, with a duration of one minute and forty-five seconds. The work offers a deeply visual experience that highlights refusal as an act of resistance. It repeats powerful phrases such as: “No to injustice, no to envy, no to hatred, no to jealousy, no to illness, no to pain,” in an endless loop that embodies a state suspended between tension and suffering. The film reveals the fragility of human relationships and invites reflection on the psychological and social impacts of invisible violence.

Through her participation in this international event, Professor Al-Yahyaei continues to play an active role in advocating for women’s issues, reaffirming the power of art to reveal truth and illuminate spaces long overshadowed by silence.