Exhibition and dialogue “From Pain to Hope” embody the Palestinian feminist narrative.

Ramallah – December 8, 2025

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) – Palestine, in partnership with the General Union of Palestinian Women and the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Forum to Combat Violence Against Women, and in cooperation with the Sawaed Shabab Al-Ghad Forum, Haneen Fine Art Forum Association, and The Palestinian Museum, implemented an artistic and dialogue event titled “From Pain to Hope” as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

The event emphasized the importance of feminist narrative and documentation as a space that preserves the memory of Palestinian women in light of the systematic social, economic, and political violence they are subjected to. The event opened with a welcoming address by Ms. Luma Tarazi, President of the Board of Directors of YWCA – Palestine, who welcomed attendees and praised the cooperation with partner and grassroots institutions in making this event a success. This was followed by an official speech delivered by Ms. Intisar Al-Wazir, President of the General Union of Palestinian Women, who stressed the necessity of protecting the Palestinian feminist narrative and strengthening the role of women, particularly young women.

The dialogue session discussed the role of feminist narratives and documentation tools in recording the various violations experienced by women, and how their testimonies, images, and stories contribute to building an authentic Palestinian narrative that reflects resilience and resistance. The session also addressed the challenges faced by documenters, the importance of safe practices in collecting narratives, and mechanisms for amplifying women’s voices at the local and international levels. The dialogue featured contributions from Ms. Salma Al-Qudumi from Gaza, representing the General Union of Palestinian Women via online participation, Ms. Sabah Salameh, Coordinator of the Palestinian NGO Forum to Combat Violence Against Women, Ms. Ruba Odeh, Women, Peace and Security Coordinator at YWCA – Palestine, and young media professional Maather Badoo from Tulkarm.

The event concluded with a call for continued support for the efforts of women and young women in shaping their own narratives, affirming that Palestinian pain, despite its severity, always gives rise to hope and determination to continue and convey the truth.

It is worth noting that this event was held as part of the Young Women for Awareness, Agency, Advocacy, and Accountability (YW4A) program, implemented by YWCA – Palestine in partnership with several women’s organizations and funded by the Government of the Netherlands.

The “From Pain to Hope” photo exhibition will remain open to the public for three days at the YWCA – Palestine headquarters in Ramallah – Ein Misbah, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.