The Space We Hold

An interactive web project inviting students to interact more deeply with the stories of Grandma Gil, Grandma Cao, and Grandma Adela. From the website, “In an era where rape continues to be used as a weapon of war and where sexual shaming and online harassment is commonplace, The Space We Holdasks us to imagine new ways of listening and responding to sexual violence.”

The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize

In 2018, Nadia Murad and Dr. Denis Mukwege were awarded The Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. In the press release announcing the award, the Nobel Committee stated:

This year marks a decade since the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1820 (2008), which determined that the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict constitutes both a war crime and a threat to international peace and security. This is also set out in the Rome Statute of 1998, which governs the work of the International Criminal Court. The Statute establishes that sexual violence in war and armed conflict is a grave violation of international law. A more peaceful world can only be achieved if women and their fundamental rights and security are recognized and protected in war.

Have students research the work of Dr. Mukwege and Nadia Murad on The Nobel Peace Prizewebsite. Go here to see lessons on the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. As a homework assignment, have students research and write a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for a leader of their choice who has advanced the mission of ending violence against women.

Learn about International Law and Conventions on Sexual Violence during War

Read “UN Background Information on Rape as a Tool of War.” Read the Historical Timelinefrom United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Memorials

In The Apologywe see the unveiling the Peace Statue to commemorate the 1,000th Wednesday demonstration of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan.[8]This statue is one of many around the world to commemorate this wartime atrocity and the ongoing struggle for a full acknowledgement and reparations. To learn more about the history of the Peace Memorial we see in The Apologysee “Japan Recalls South Korean Ambassador in Protest of ‘Comfort Women’ Memorial.”[9] Students may research the World War II memorials in their area and draft a proposal for incorporating the history of “comfort women”—or other underrepresented victims of war. Have students design an informational poster to place on/near a local memorial, to make the commemorative work more inclusive.

Calls to Action

The focus of the women’s activism in The Apologyis personal and political. We see the Grandmas and hundreds of supporters organizing to pressure the current Japanese government to accept responsibility and be held accountable for their past crimes and to offer reparations. To learn more about this campaign see the 100 Million Signature Campaign.