The Women’s Association for Victims Empowerment WAVE recently conducted expressive art therapy session women victims of human rights violations of the former regime.
The session is organised as part of activities commemorating International Women’s Day which celebrates women’s fight for equality and liberation. IWD also gives focus to women’s achievements and issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
WAVE annually commemorate the day with series of activities targeting women victims.
“We know that it is very important for women victims who have undergone various forms of torture to have expressive art therapy because it helps them in their healing journey,” WAVE Program and reporting assistant Akitania Nzally said.
The event is attended by women victims from different communities in the country and funded as by the French Embassy funded Women’s Empowerment Project and Africa Transitional Justice for Legacy Fund ATJLF.
As part of the sessions the participants were accorded safe spaces to open up on their healing journey and quest for justice, accountability and reparations. Ms Nzally emphasised that the session will go a long time further support and help women victims of torture and other human rights violations to heal, release feelings and move on with their lives.
This year’s IWD is celebrated under the theme: “Accelerate action.”
Jai Coker Sonko a victim hailed WAVE for not only supporting victims with various forms of psychosocial support and but also their income generating activities such as local soap making and others. “We the victims would have much worse if WAVE has not come to support us. We want to take this opportunity to renew our call for government to consider victims and prioritise our reparations including medical support because so many victims needed that,” Sonko stated.
Mary Therese a victim of April 10 and 11 also made similar remarks and called on other organisations and the government to emulate WAVE in its commitment to victims empowerment.
