On 20 June 2023, Berghof Foundation, in cooperation with Makipura CTS, the Foundation for Women Affected by Conflicts and the Gender, Justice and Security Hub, premiered the movie “I Have to Speak: Colombia and Uganda”. It features the voices of women in conflict and post-conflict settings and their situation within the peace processes in the respective countries.

The way we portray women during but also after war affects which issues are taken into account in peace processes. If we only perceive women as victims, they will be taken into consideration as such in designing the societal order after war, and in reconstruction and reconciliation efforts. Many of the issues women fight for during conflicts are then sidelined.

In the Berghof Foundation documentary ‘I Have to Speak: Colombia and Uganda’, female ex-combatants from both countries share their stories. They speak about their experiences during the conflict, the peace and reintegration process, and the continuous challenges they face in rebuilding their lives after the war.

At the film premiere, the organizers, together with the filmmakers and international experts, shed light on the experiences of female combatants during and after war. They also talked about the aspirations of women who have been part of armed conflicts and jointly drew important lessons for current peace processes and reintegration efforts.

From female combatants to filmmakers

Online film premiere

20 June 2023
14:00 – 15:30 CEST (ics, ical)

Online event via Zoom.

This event was held in English and Spanish.

Simultaneous interpretation was provided in English, Spanish, Kurdish, Burmese and Thai.

Welcome remarks by Inken Denker, Head of Division 412 – Gender Equality, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Panel discussion with:

• Violeta Guetnamova
  Signatory of the 2016 Colombian peace agreement and filmmaker, Colombia
• Grace Arach
  Executive Director of the Foundation for Women Affected by Conflicts (FOWAC), Uganda
• Glaucia Boyer
  Global Advisor on Reintegration, UNDP

The event was moderated by Evelyn Pauls, Researcher and Project Manager, Berghof Foundation.