16.5.2022 | 16 Unbreakable Women | Online Discussion

We dedicate this meeting to our brave and courageous sisters from SEMA Ukraine . In such a difficult time of war any help is needed but the most valuable is that which comes from the heart and understanding of the situation of war and what is unfortunately inextricably linked with war, namely violence and sexuality.

In this fundraising event, together with our special guests, we will express our deepest solidarity with SEMA Ukraine ’s unbreakable commitment and dedication in their fight against Russian oppression. All proceedings from the event go directly to support SEMA Ukraine members to supply them with regular humanitarian and medical aid. Read more about our fundraiser: www.zrzutka.pl/en/support-sema-ukraine.

SEMA Ukraine is a network of Ukrainian women who suffered sexual violence during the all-too-often forgotten conflict in the Donbas region that started in 2014. Women were subjected to rape, mutilation of sexual organs, forced nudity, torture, and video recording of acts of sexual violence against them. After the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, history is repeating itself. We hear an increasing number of reports evidencing sexual assaults against Ukrainian women. The SEMA Ukraine members remain in their country and support the emotional recovery of the sexual violence survivors, and fight for their freedom.

All 16 women in SEMA Ukraine serve their country tirelessly. They document Russian crimes against humanity, care, provide food and medicine to the Ukrainian soldiers and are defenders themselves. Other members run military trainings to young Ukrainians, work as doctors in hospitals and look after displaced civilians and their children.
Join our event to hear their stories and testimonies of wartime sexual violence survivors.

Meet our Panelists, sexual violence survivors, activists and feminists:

Shumu Haque (Bangladesh/Sweden) – self-proclaimed feminist, activist, poet, and voracious reader. Her experience of growing up as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and fighting to cope with it on her own without any support from those around her, made her aware of the necessity to create a support system for other survivors.

Delkhwaz Haciy (Yazidi/Sweden) – Yazidi human rights activist, lawyer, psychologist and advocate for the protection of the Yazidis and other persecuted minorities.

Sabiha Husić (Bosnia-Herzegovina) – Islamic theologian and psychotherapist. She is a survivor of the genocide against Bosnian women conducted by the Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian war.

Shyhrete Tahiri-Sylejmani (Kosovo) – activist and a member of SEMA Kosovo and one of the few survivors of the Kosovan war in 1999 to speak out publicly about the sexual assault she had experienced in the war.

Chantal Rutayisire (Rwanda) – survivor of the Rwandan Genocide against Tutsi from 1994. She is a mother of two and a business woman.

Wiola Rębecka (Poland/USA) – psychoanalyst, researcher and author of the book Rape: A History of Shame – Diary of the Survivors.

The meeting will be chaired by Karolina Sulej, freelance journalist, reporter and cultural studies scholar.

The International Council of Polish Women+ ( Polonijna Rada Kobiet+) is a collective of Polish feminists living abroad, supported by Polish migrant feminist organisations. PRK+ is our umbrella, and especially these days – our shield and weapon, under which each one of us can seek support in our stand for women’s rights. We wish today the umbrella of safety would cover our Ukrainian sisters who, uncertain about their future, their children and their loved ones, call the world for action to help.

TICKETS: to purchase tickets for the event, please follow the link to the Eventbrite event page:

We ask for kind donations towards our fundraiser dedicated to SEMA Ukraine.

The proceeds will allow the purchase of emergency medical and humanitarian aid for our Sisters. We will email you with a personalised Zoom invitation, including the link to the event, to express our gratitude to your support! Thank you for helping SEMA Ukraine with us!

For media enquiries and additional information please contact us on: polonijnaradakobiet@gmail.com