In New York, a Photo Exhibition Celebrates the Courage and Impact of Women in Peacebuilding

In addition to being a poet and slam artist, Congolese Do Nsoseme Dora is also a photographer. Her work, at the intersection of documentary and conceptual styles, often features staged scenes that challenge traditional gender roles. She is one of about ten women whose photographs have been on display since June 7 at the Photoville Festival in New York.

Captured in eleven different contexts — Abyei, Cyprus, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mozambique, Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, and Sudan — these images tell a collective story of resilience, resistance, and transformation. All were taken by local women photographers.

Titled "Through Her  Lens: Women Rising for Peace", the exhibition highlights women involved in peacebuilding, the defense of human rights, and UN peacekeepers whose contributions are often overlooked. It was launched to mark the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.

The photographs and their contexts reveal both the many challenges women face and the opportunities that emerge when women take the lead.

The initiative is the result of a collaboration between the UN Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN Women, and the Elsie Initiative Fund.

The exhibition is open to the public until June 22 at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It will then travel to several of the countries represented, before being displayed at UN Headquarters in New York in October and at the European Parliament in Brussels, among other venues.

For Kosovar photojournalist Laura Hasani, “too often, the role of women in peace processes is overlooked or underrepresented.”

“These photos aim to change that,” she explains, “so the world can see and hear the women who are rebuilding their communities and driving change.”

In Haiti, Clyfane Saintil, feminist activist and leader of a nonprofit organization, supports young girls and women in claiming their rights and building their future.

“Change starts in our communities, where women and girls are mobilizing — and when men choose to be allies instead of obstacles,” she asserts.

"Through Her  Lens: Women Rising for Peace" is rooted in the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and the nine resolutions that followed. These texts recognize the importance of women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in conflict prevention and resolution, and call for their greater inclusion in peace processes and decision-making at all levels.