Art as a means of breaking the silence surrounding gender-based sexual violence

In 2025, MOSUCA launched the project “Art as a Means of Breaking the Silence Surrounding Gender-based Sexual Violence” or ‘L’art comme moyen de brisé le silence face aux violences sexuelles basées sur le genre’ in Bangui, with technical and financial support from Agence française de Développement (AFD). The initiative aimed to create a safe and creative space for survivors of sexual violence to break the silence and express their experiences through different forms of art.

The project began with awareness-raising activities led by ten members of MOSUCA’s coordination team. These activities were carried out across several neighbourhoods in Bangui and focused on engaging the community around the issue of gender-based sexual violence. As a result, 15 survivors who had not previously shared their experiences came forward to share their experiences on a public platform.

In total, 25 participants took part in the project. Four artists were selected to lead training sessions in slam poetry, song, theatre, and drawing. Each participant chose their preferred artistic medium and joined one of the four groups.

Over the course of two months, the groups engaged in training, rehearsals, and video production. The project culminated in an informal presentation at MOSUCA’s headquarters, followed by an official public presentation that brought together over 200 people.

A documentary about this project can be viewed below (in Sango with French subtitles):