Co-sponsored by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Qazaq Nuclear Frontline Coalition (QNFC), the International Strategy Forum (SCSP) and the Alliance for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Following screenings near the United Nations Headquarters in New York and at Harvard University, JARA - Radioactive Patriarchy: Women of Qazaqstan is now being screened in Europe in the presence of the film director, including in Geneva on 15 May. A panel discussion on "Advancing nuclear disarmament and nuclear justice internationally and in Switzerland" will follow the film, featuring Pavel Podvig of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, Emma Pike of Lex International, Pauline Schneider of Groupe Pour Une Suisse Sans Armée and Raphael Pangalangan of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as an opportunity to ask questions of the panel and the film's director. The Permanent Mission of Kazakstan to the United Nations will provide introductory remarks. Light refreshments will be available following the film.

Amidst the vast steppes and boundless horizon, Kazakh land bears the scars of devastation and man-made catastrophe. JARA - Radioactive Patriarchy: Women of Qazaqstan is an independent documentary that unearths the tragic legacy of environmental destruction and human suffering caused by 40 years of nuclear testing on Kazakh land.The word jara means "a wound" in the Kazakh language. Nuclear wounds have spread across millions of things - humans, animals, insects, water, air, and soil. Ionizing radiation has cursed millions of people across past, present, and future generations. Some struggles and scars of the nuclear age have remained unseen. Women and girls have been disproportionately impacted by the nuclear testing program. This film delves into the gendered impact of radiation: state-sponsored and technology-driven gender-based violence, the social and cultural consequences of technocratic governance and militarization. At the same time, the film highlights women's roles and their leadership within local communities. As the echoes of explosions fade into history and women’s lived experiences are sidelined in patriarchal societies that glorify masculinity and militarism, the film strives to assert women’s agency. The film creates a space where stories are shared from one nuclear-affected woman to another, deliberately avoiding the dominant narratives imposed by non-nuclear-affected communities - victimization, objectification, and exploitation of these lived experiences in the post-testing period. By sharing their pain, six women in this film tell us a heart-wrenching testament to the collective pain of millions harmed by nuclear weapons tests.

The event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP to confirm your attendance. Please note this is an in-person only event.

Le film est sous-titré en français et en anglais.

L'Université de Genève est étrangère à l'organisation de cette activité.