COngo/Women

Portraits of War

Congolese women, who were sexually assaulted, sit in a shelter run by Heal Africa in Goma, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, on April 10, 2008. On average, 400 women per month were estimated to be sexually assaulted in the autumn of 2007 in eastern DRC. In the first months of 2008, that figure dropped to an average of 100 women per month. While this may be seen as a significant decrease, it is worthwhile noting that many women never make it to treatment centers and are not accounted for in these statistics. Photo by Lynsey Addario.

Marcelline Namani - 15 year old girl who was forced to be the wife of an LRA commander. She spent over a year with the LRA. Was repeatedly raped and also had to kill children. Photo by Marcus Bleasdale.

Kanyere sits in a shelter while her child, Kabira, 3, looks on in the village of Kanyabayonga, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, on April 12, 2008. Kabira was raped by a man, 48, while her mother was working in the fields; he has since been caught and put in prison. On average, 400 women per month were estimated to be sexually assaulted in the autumn of 2007 in eastern DRC. In the first months of 2008, that figure dropped to an average of 100 women per month. While this may be seen as a significant decrease, it is worthwhile noting that many women never make it to treatment centers and are not accounted for in these statistics. Photo by Lynsey Addario.

Congolese women who were sexually assaulted in recount their experiences in Walungu, South Kivu, in Eastern Congo, April 14, 2008. An average of 400 women per month were estimated to be sexually assualted in the autumn of 2007 in eastern Congo, while in the first months of 2008, the figure dropped to an average of 100 women per month. This said, many women never make it to treatment centers, and are not accounted for in these statistics. Photo by Lynsey Addario.

About the Project

Congo/Women is a traveling photography exhibition highlighting the beauty and strength of the girls and women of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a group of girls and women who face an unprecedented wave of gender-based violence and a lack of essential medical care. This exhibit discusses the effects of such gender violence, which include pregnancy as a result of rape, obstetric and traumatic fistula, HIV infection, permanent reproductive health damage, and death. In addition to these conditions, the exhibition presents the inevitable societal stresses caused by such atrocities.

Curated from a combination of existing photography and newly-commissioned work—particularly of women and girls recovering from violence—the exhibit provides a comprehensive view of the issue and its possible solutions.Featuring the work of Lynsey Addario, Marcus Bleasdale, Ron Haviv, and James Nachtwey, the installation weaves together large portraits of Congolese women and contextual images of the region’s culture and history along with explanatory essays. When this exhibit was produced, the average lifespan of a woman in the Democratic Republic of Congo was 46 years, and in 2020 that age rose to 62 years, signaling improvement in the medical care, treatment, and safety of women in the country. However, in 2020, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo documented 1,053 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, a majority of the cases were against women and girls. Thus, this issue still deserves our attention and advocacy.

about the artists

Lynsey Addario

Lynsey Addario is an award-winning American photojournalist and author.

Marcus Bleasdale

Marcus Bleasdale is a British photojournalist based in Oslo

Ron Haviv

Ron Haviv is an American photojournalist and co-founder of the photo agency VII

James Nachtwey

James Nachtwey is an American photojournalist and war photographer.

Exhibit Website

Congo/Women is accompanied by an exhibit website with essays, resources, and motivations for the project

Public Programs

Congo/Women in Brussels

March 4, 2014 | European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

Congo/Women at Illinois College

February 1, 2013 | Illinois College

In partnership with the Leadership Program at Illinois College

Audio Essay

The Congo/Women exhibit was accompanied by an audio essay which was adapted from interviews by contributing photographer Lynsey Addario

Performed by Cheryl Lynn Bruce
Original music by Mario Grigorov, Pamelia Kurstin, Jaron Lanier and Sussan Deyhim
Co-written and directed by Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Jane M. Saks and Leslie Thomas
Translation by Nita Evele
Sound design by Robert Marshall
Produced by Tim Konn
Sponsored by Another Country

Congo/Women audio essay (7 min.)

bring this exhibit to you

All of our exhibitions are designed to tour and can be adapted to a broad spectrum of venue types and sizes.

We are happy to provide step-by-step support for hosting this exhibit.

New York installation of Congo/Women

resources & tools

News

October 2022: The UN published a report that details a significant decrease in women’s access to healthcare, safety and overall well-being. The report is international, but has a focus on Africa.

Stats

The Enough Project

The Enough Project is a resource for people to get involved in advocacy and action in Congo.

Women for Women International–DRC

Women for Women International – DRC provides training for women and girls in Congo to know and defend their rights, influence decisions at home and in their communities, generate income, and save money for the future. Thus far, Women for Women International DRC has worked with over 100,000 women in the DRC.