UNITED NATIONS, New York—UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will sponsor a special event on 12 October to open a major exhibition on violence against women around the world. The show, to be attended by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, other senior United Nations officials and representative of the diplomatic community, is also intended to observe the 15th anniversary of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and will follow a full-day session of the General Assembly commemorating the anniversary.

The event, which is open to the press, comes only days after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution strongly condemning all violations against women and girls during armed conflicts, and urging Member States and international and regional organizations to improve women’s participation during all stages of peace processes.

Congo/Women Portraits of War: The Democratic Republic of Congo, the critically acclaimed photography exhibition which has been touring a number of American cities, will remain on display until 2 November. The show will also feature Women on the Frontline: Regarding Gender-Based Violence, a video series about the unreported war against females around the world.

Congo/Women exhibition, which uses images and text to raise awareness of the crisis of violence against women, features work by award-winning photojournalists Lynsey Addario (winner of a 2009 Pulitzer Prize, a 2009 MacArthur Genius Grant and ESB Institute Fellow), Marcus Bleasdale, Ron Haviv and James Nachtwey. Lynn Nottage, a 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner for best drama for her play, "Ruined", will speak at the event.

Women on the Frontline, first broadcast on the BBC in April 2008, is a seven-part television series that documents the different kinds of violence against women and girls. Presented by musician and recording artist Annie Lennox, the series features stories from homes, villages and cities where violence against women and girls is still rampant.

The show will be open to the public in the North Gallery Public Lobby, United Nations visitors’ entrance, on First Avenue at 46th Street. Admission is free and gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am.-4 p.m.
 

Contact Information:

Christian Delsol
Tel:  +1 212 297 5032
delsol@unfpa.org