Isolation by Allison Wilbur

Isolation

Allison Wilbur

Barrington, Rhode Island, USA

At refugee camps like Iridimi in Western Chad, women who have been driven from their homes and villages by conflict leave the camps to seek firewood for their families. As they venture farther and farther from the camp they become vulnerable to attack. This quilt shows a faceless woman symbolizing the universality of her plight yet the faces of her attackers hiding in the brush are not blank. The men’s faces are not blank because those committing these crimes against women must not remain faceless. They must be held accountable for their crimes.

Real peace and security are only possible when women are involved in the peace process, bringing their experiences and needs to the table. Women need to be involved in local and national governments to help conflict from breaking out and to be involved in the peacekeeping process to be certain they are protected and their needs are considered. One woman alone is vulnerable, when many women band together, their voices can be heard.

Rape is not a tool of war; it is a crime.