The Many Faces of Womanhood: A Photo Exhibition Bringing Women’s Stories from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine to Brussels

On 8 May 2026, the outdoor photo exhibition “The Many Faces of Womanhood” will open at Mont des Arts in Brussels, Belgium showcasing portraits and stories of women from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

“The Many Faces of Womanhood” presents a series of intimate portraits and personal stories that reflect the complexity of women’s experiences across the Eastern Partnership region. From navigating war and displacement to reshaping communities and expectations, the women featured in the exhibition embody resilience, agency, and leadership.

More than a visual experience, the exhibition serves as a storytelling platform that connects European audiences with the lived realities behind gender equality efforts, illustrating how policy translates into everyday life.

From policy to lived experience

The exhibition is part of the European Union-funded programme EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence, jointly implemented by UN Women and UNFPA.

Since 2020, the programme has been working across Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine to challenge discriminatory social norms and promote equal rights and opportunities for women and men. It focuses on how expectations around gender are formed — at home, at work, and in public life — and how they can limit potential or reinforce inequality.

By placing individual stories at the center, the exhibition translates these efforts into human experiences — showing how change happens not only through policy, but through everyday decisions and actions.

Opening event in Brussels

The exhibition will officially open on 8 May at 12:30 at Mont des Arts, bringing together representatives of European institutions, the United Nations, and the creative voices behind the project.

The opening event will feature contributions from:

• Adrienn Király, Director for Neighbourhood East and Türkiye, Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST), European Commission
• Elisa Fernandez Saenz, Deputy Regional Director, UN Women Europe and Central Asia
• Florence Raes, Director of the Brussels Liaison Office, UN Women
• Birgit Van Hout, Director, UNFPA Representation Office in Brussels
• Olga Ivaschenko, Ukrainian photojournalist and author of the exhibition
• Alisa Kovalenko, documentary filmmaker, human rights advocate, and participant featured in the exhibition

“The Many Faces of Womanhood” will be open to the public from 8 May to 14 June 2026 at Mont des Arts in Brussels. Visitors are invited to explore the exhibition, reflect on the stories presented, and engage with the broader conversation on gender equality — not as an abstract goal, but as something shaped by real lives, choices, and voices.

The online exhibition will be available by the link: https://themanyfacesofwomanhood.com