From Participation to Peace: Amplifying Women’s Voices through Participatory Video

Please note that the in-person event will take place in Utrecht. Please register via this link to attend the session. 

Overview

As part of the Rally for Women’s Rights Festival in Utrecht, this session showcases how participatory video methodology can be used to amplify the voices and perspectives of women and girls in peace and reconciliation processes. Coordinators from the project "Palestinian Women Lead the Way" will explain how this method was leveraged in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, and Cairo to document women’s lived experiences, support peer-to-peer learning, and elevate women’s voices for engagement with policymakers.

During the session, attendees will view short films produced by young men and women from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, powerful, first-person narratives crafted through participatory video methodology. The session highlights how storytelling and film can become tools for dialogue, reflection, and social change. It also offers a chance for a personal exchange with young women from East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

Background

The “Roadmap to Reconciliation: Palestinian Women Lead the Way” project seeks to strengthen the role of Palestinian women in national reconciliation efforts. Grounded in the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, the project supports women-led initiatives to promote internal Palestinian reconciliation and advocates for inclusion of women’s voices in reconciliation dialogues and policymaking.

By employing participatory video methodology, the project empowers participants to lead the storytelling process from filming and editing to narrative development, enabling them to own and shape how their stories are shared. This approach fosters agency, facilitates peer learning, and supports advocacy efforts rooted in lived experience.

What to Expect from the Session

• Short presentation by local coordinators on participatory video methodology as a tool for group work and empowerment
• Screening of youth-produced short films from the Occupied Palestinian Territory
• Discussion with the project participants, young women peacebuilders from East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza

Important Practical Details

• Date and time: Saturday, 29 November 2025, 14:00 – 15:30

• Venue: Room Podium, Neude 11, Utrecht

• Admission: Please register via this link to attend the session.