Empowering Displaced Women through Participatory Visual Methods in Post-Conflict Kurdish Cities

Abstract (English)

This presentation explores a pioneering research initiative designed to address the multi-dimensional impacts of displacement and armed conflict on women and girls in South-eastern Turkey. The proposed study investigates how the aftermath of the 2015–2016 urban warfare between the Turkish state and Kurdish militants has reshaped gendered experiences, marginalised women’s voices, and exacerbated social and economic vulnerabilities. Drawing on feminist participatory action research, this project integrates visual ethnography, photovoice, and narrative data collection with community-based methodologies to create an inclusive platform for women to articulate their lived realities.

The research is grounded in an intersectional framework that considers the compounded effects of displacement, gender-based violence, and economic disenfranchisement. It aims to create a robust evidence base for policy interventions by combining quantitative surveys with unstructured narrative interviews, thereby capturing both the breadth and depth of women’s experiences. The presentation outlines the innovative use of digital tools—such as a UNDP-developed mobile application—for data collection, and the significance of participatory media in knowledge production and empowerment.

Crucially, this project goes beyond documenting trauma; it aspires to generate tangible social impact by developing advocacy networks, producing educational resources, and influencing policy through strategic partnerships with NGOs, international organisations, and local stakeholders. By foregrounding women’s voices in urban reconstruction and cultural memory, the research seeks to challenge dominant narratives of victimhood and foreground the agency, resilience, and knowledge of displaced Kurdish women. It offers an ethical and culturally sensitive model for engaging communities affected by protracted conflict and dispossession.