In debates on the transformation of the continent, African women are frequently presented as central actors in development. In contrast, the image of Congolese women confines them to struggles for their livelihoods and those of their families, in subaltern roles. In addition, the Congo has a poor reputation for violence against its women. This reinforces the perception that the role of women is miserable, and that they are plagued by their condition and invisibility in society.
In this photographic project, Matthieu Zellweger proposes a look at Congolese women he met in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. His project takes us to meet a diversity of women who distinguish themselves in different socio-economic and scientific fields. Congolese women have reached very high levels of knowledge and competence and practice professions in the Democratic Republic of Congo that are similar in every way to those they might practice in Switzerland. Combining close-up portraits, professional contexts and visionary quotes, this work offers an original vision, rarely relayed by the media, of the real role of Congolese women in the transformation of their country, the continent and the world.
Prof. Dr. Karine Ndjoko Ioset
University of Lubumbashi - DRCongo
University of Wuerzburg - Germany
Director of the BEBUC Excellence Grant
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