Breaking the Silence: Turning Pain into Power

The Mukwege Foundation collaborated with documentary photographer Rachel Corner to create a powerful series of photo portraits and testimonies of SEMA members, documenting their personal journeys as activists and change-makers. 

The project culminated in a photo exhibition inspired by the publication of the book Breaking the Silence: Turning Pain into Power, marking the 5th anniversary of the SEMA Global Network in 2022. The exhibition featured portraits of 15 SEMA members. Captured through Rachel Corner’s lens, the images reflect the diversity, strength, and resilience of survivors from around the world. Each portrait is accompanied by a personal quote, offering a stronger and personal understanding of their experiences, the effects of these horrific crimes on their lives and their journey to become an activist. 

The exhibition was first showcased in London in December 2022 during the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference, bringing the voices and experiences of SEMA members to a key global platform focused on accountability and survivor-centred responses to conflict-related sexual violence.  A few weeks later, it was displayed at the Central Library of The Hague from 20 January to 24 February 2023. further expanding the reach of the series to international audiences. 

The exhibition continued to travel thereafter. The series was featured at the United Nations Headquarters in New York as part of UN Action’s exhibition, A Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) Survivor’s Journey. The exhibition was officially unveiled by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten on 20 June 2023.   

Later that year, the portraits were displayed at the Rotterdam Central Library in the Netherlands from October to November, further amplifying the advocacy of SEMA members. During the same time, a selection of portraits was displayed at the XXIV FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics, which was held from October 9–12, 2023, in Paris, France and whose focus theme was ‘Women in Conflict’.  

Finally, in December 2023, the portraits were integrated into the SEMA Collective Memory exhibition, We Are Speaking, Are You Listening? showcased at the Alliance Française in Nairobi, Kenya. The exhibition aimed to convey messages of memory and community and sustain the narrative, reflecting SEMA’s long-term commitment to collective memory initiatives, each highlighting different facets of survivor-led remembrance and advocacy.