Photoville

Mona Elfateh
Mona Elfateh
Rita Kalaban
Rita Kalaban

Featuring: Alice Ambrucer, Maisa Abu Ghazaleh, Mona Elfateh, Jaella Fleurianna Pathé, Gift Francisca Mwansa, Laura Hasani, Rita Kalaban, Antonia Maria Nicolaides, Narline Novembre, Do Nsoseme, Oleksandra Zborovska

From Haiti to Lebanon, Cyprus to Sudan, women are too often portrayed solely as victims of conflict rather than as agents of change. Their voices are essential in shaping lasting peace, yet their efforts are frequently overlooked or undervalued.
The Women, Peace and Security agenda, established in 2000 through UN Security Council resolution 1325, recognises the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls, but also the powerful role women play in building and protecting peace. Evidence shows that peace agreements with women signatories have a better chance of succeeding and lasting longer. Yet women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace and security remains elusive, and their voices and rights are increasingly under threat.
This exhibition features women transforming their communities and advocating for their futures. As peacebuilders and peacekeepers, mediators and human rights defenders, women and their allies strive to make their voices heard above the noise and build more just societies where everyone can contribute equally, even in times when peace appears to be a distant dream. Because when women lead, peace follows.
Each image, captured by local women photographers who often share the same struggles and aspirations, reflects the power and resilience of women as changemakers. The exhibition is a call to amplify their voices, protect their rights, and ensure their place at every table where peace is forged.
As you immerse yourself in these stories, we invite you to see the strength of those advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Their work is vital and visionary, showing us what is possible when women take charge and are supported by their allies.

 

About the Artists

Maisa Abu Ghazaleh is a Palestinian journalist based in East Jerusalem. She reports on protests, clashes, and daily life under occupation. Her work often places her in dangerous situations. In 2011, she was detained while covering an event at Al-Aqsa Mosque. In 2017, she was injured by a sound grenade during a protest. Maisa continues to report despite the risks. Through her lens, she shows the impact of violence on Palestinian communities, especially women. Her work brings attention to voices often ignored and sheds light on the situation on the ground.

Mona Elfateh is a Sudanese media and communications consultant. She has eight years of experience leading creative and advocacy campaigns. Her work blends storytelling, art direction, and digital media to speak on social justice and women’s rights. Mona has worked across sectors—from grassroots initiatives to international agencies. She uses visual tools like video and design to share real stories from Sudan. Her projects often center on women’s voices and community resilience. Through her creative work, Mona supports dialogue, healing, and collective action in times of crisis.

Jaella Fleurianna Pathé is a filmmaker and visual artist from the Central African Republic. She creates short films, photography, and video content that tell human stories and highlight social issues. Her films have been screened at international festivals, and she has won a national award for best short film. Jaella is committed to using visual storytelling as a tool for awareness, empowerment, and peacebuilding, especially in communities affected by conflict and inequality.

Laura Hasani is a seasoned Kosovar photojournalist with over 25 years of experience documenting pivotal moments and powerful stories across Kosovo. Her compelling images have been featured in international publications, including Reuters and Radio Free Europe. Her compelling images have been featured in international publications, including Reuters and Radio Free Europe. Notably, her photograph capturing a woman mourning during the International Day of the Disappeared in Pristina poignantly highlights the profound impact of conflict on women.  Through her lens, Laura sheds light on the resilience and struggles of women in post-conflict Kosovo, contributing to a deeper understanding of their experiences. She highlights the lack of women engaged in photojournalism in Kosovo, and encourages women to join this profession.

 All references to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

Rita Kalaban is a Lebanese photojournalist based in Beirut, Lebanon. Focusing on stories rooted in culture, migration, protest, and the environment, Rita has covered pivotal moments like the Egyptian revolution, the refugee crisis in Europe, and the Lebanese protests. Along with documenting Lebanon’s waste crisis, she also teaches photography to migrant and local communities. Rita’s photography has been exhibited in Beirut and Seattle and featured in outlets including Al Jazeera English and Foreign Policy. She also curates exhibitions and contributes to the EveryDay Middle East Instagram account, using her lens to spotlight personal narratives and movements for social change.

Antonia Maria Nicolaides is a freelance photographer based in Nicosia, Cyprus, known for her experimental approach using film and darkroom techniques. Her work blends archival, documentary, and studio photography, often delving into themes of memory, history, and storytelling. Inspired by her late grandfather, who captured Cyprus’s post-independence years, she brings a deeply personal and reflective perspective to her art. She moves fluidly between personal and professional projects, always grounded in a strong visual narrative and a love for analogue processes.

Alice Ambrucer is a feminist and advocate for women’s rights, dedicated to amplifying the voices of women in her community. Along with her photography work, she works as a Women, Peace and Security Project Officer for UN Women in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, an area impacted by extremist violence. She supports project implementation while using photography to capture the strength, resilience, and leadership of women peacebuilders. Her work combines technical expertise and artistic expression to spotlight women’s vital role in building peace and to ensure their stories are seen and heard.

Gift Francisca Mwansa is a seasoned Assistant Superintendent officer with 16 years of service in the Zambia Police. She currently serves as the UN Police Public Information and Protocol Officer at UNISFA (United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei) in Abyei, focusing on visibility and communication. Her diverse background includes work in community policing, gender and child protection, mental health, and public relations. A mother of four and Elsie Initiative alumna, Gift’s story is one of resilience and advocacy, capturing not just images, but the strength of women in peacekeeping.

Narline Novembre is a Haitian photographer and social worker who uses visual storytelling to support community voices. For over six years, she has documented issues like urban violence and Haitian identity through photography and video. She works with local groups to teach young people creative skills and supports film projects that spotlight underrepresented stories. As part of a women-led film festival team, she promotes powerful narratives from across Haiti. Her work helps raise awareness and give voice to those often unheard, making her a strong advocate for change and peace through art.

Do Nsoseme Dora is a Congolese poet, slammer, and photographer whose work focuses on women’s rights and societal issues. Her photography blends documentary and conceptual styles, often featuring staged scenes to challenge traditional gender roles. Through her art, Do contributes to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda by promoting gender equality and encouraging dialogue on women’s roles in society in her native Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Oleksandra Zborovska is a Ukrainian photographer, filmmaker, and visual storyteller based in Kyiv. A member of Ukrainian Women Photographers, her work explores the intersection of nature and human experience. Oleksandra uses experimental techniques with documentary storytelling to evoke deep emotional states and complex inner worlds. In 2024, she collaborated with illustrator and conflict-related sexual violence survivor Daria Zymenko on the exhibition I Will Return, a poignant portrayal of Daria’s experiences during the occupation of the Kyiv region.

Organizations

  • United Nations Department of Peace Operations

    United Nations Department of Peace Operations

    UN Peacekeeping is one of the UN’s most effective and cost-efficient tools for promoting and protecting international peace and security. UN Peacekeepers help countries transition from conflict to peace by protecting civilians, supporting political solutions to conflict, and by helping nations lay the foundations for sustainable peace. The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) is peacekeeping’s headquarters in New York. It is dedicated to assisting the Member States and the Secretary-General in their efforts to maintain international peace and security, and provides support to our 11 peacekeeping operations around the world. DPO is also at the forefront of advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in conflict and post-conflict peacekeeping settings, which calls for the integration of gender perspectives in peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts and women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace and politics.

  • United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

    United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

    The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) is the United Nations’ lead entity for conflict prevention, [peacemaker.un.org]mediation, and peacebuilding. DPPA plays a central role in shaping the UN’s response to political crises, helping to prevent and resolve conflict and sustain peace.

  • UN Women

    UN Women

    UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women works to ensure that women and girls contribute to and have greater influence in building sustainable peace and resilience, and benefit equally from the prevention of natural disasters and conflicts and humanitarian action.

  • Elsie Initiative Fund

    Elsie Initiative Fund

    The Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF), a UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund, is the only Global Fund dedicated to removing barriers and accelerating women’s meaningful participation in UN peace operations. The Fund delivers results in security sector reform, strengthens the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, and advances the UN Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy (UGPS).

Through Her Lens: Women Rising for Peace

 coming soon

Featuring: Various Artists

Presented by: The UN Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN Women, and the Elsie Initiative Fund.
  • United Nations Department of Peace Operations
  • United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
  • UN Women
  • Elsie Initiative Fund

Locations

View Location Details Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza

1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Number 1 on the official photoville map Click to download this year's map

This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
Explore other locations and exhibitions nearby

We gratefully acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Australia, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom, whose support made it possible to share these powerful stories worldwide.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this exhibit are those of the exhibition artists and partners and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Photoville or any other participants and partners of the Photoville Festival.

This website was made possible thanks to the generous support and partnership of Photowings