News
Address By Helen To Warwick District UN Association: Conflict, Resilience, and Justice: Tackling Sexual & Gender-Based Violence in Africa
Date: 18th January 2025
Special Guest Speaker: Dr. Helen Liebling
Feminist, Activist, Psychologist, and Author
Explore the realities of conflict and post-conflict sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and torture in Africa. Dr. Helen Liebling, a renowned expert, shares her powerful journey of working with survivors in Uganda, Liberia, and beyond.
What to Expect
Personal Stories: Highlights from her autobiography, Nalule’s Travels and Adventures.
Expert Analysis: Insights into empowering survivors and advancing their rights.
Innovative Solutions: How community-led programs like CLAMP are transforming refugee support.
Dr. Helen Liebling is a globally recognised expert in conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and torture, with over 25 years of groundbreaking research and advocacy. She has worked extensively in Uganda, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, collaborating with renowned organisations such as the Women’s International Peace Centre, West Africa Network for Peace-building, and Tearfund. Helen has authored four influential books and numerous peer-reviewed articles, advancing global understanding of trauma recovery and justice for survivors. Her innovative initiatives, such as the CLAMP project, train refugees as peer counsellors, offering transformative support to survivors in refugee settlements. Helen’s leadership extends to global advisory boards, including the Healing in Harmony initiative, which evaluates the impact of music therapy on women affected by conflict. Her autobiography, Nalule’s Travels and Adventures, has been praised as a testament to resilience and activism, cementing her reputation as a trailblazer in the fight for gender-sensitive healthcare and justice for survivors worldwide.
“An inspiring narrative of hardship, resilience, and purpose.” — Readers’ Favourite
Interview on The Womxn Show-Cape Town TV
During November 2024 I was attending the Sexual Violence Research Initiative Conference in Cape Town. I was interviewed in November 2024 about my book by the brilliant journalist Lenina Rasool. Lenina established the Womxn show, on Cape Town TV, which addresses women’s issues with a focus on gender-based violence. Please see the photos of Helen and Lenina below:
Lenina reported widely on social media outlets following my interview regarding the importance of highlighting the health needs of survivors citing these words from my book:
“Through the process if narrating their experiences, women reflected that they were able to break the silence about their health needs.”
Snowdon hike to raise funds
In order to raise some funding towards the creative writing workshop with survivors in Uganda, as well as the plan to build a women’s peace centre in Kampala, Helen and friends from the Warwick staff walkers climbed up Snowdon in April 2016. Helen raised £515 through her crowdfunding website. As you can see from the photos the walkers had a beautiful sunny day and managed the walk including stops in 7 hours.
Creative Writing for Conflict Survivors in Uganda
As part of ongoing applied research and service developments for conflict and post-conflict survivors of sexual and gender based violence and torture, a creative writing workshop was jointly led in 2015 by Dr Helen Liebling, Lecturer-Practitioner in Clinical Psychology and member of the Centre for Communities and Social Justice together with Dr Felicity Hand and Dr Esther Pujolràs, Lecturers, Department of English, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, for the staff team of Isis-Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange. The workshop was funded by the Autonomous University Solidarity Foundation and Isis-WICCE and received excellent feedback.
For further information and a summary of the workshop see Helen’s blog at the following link: Creative Writing Workshop as well as the Nalubaale website established through the project at: Nalubaale Project.
We returned to Kampala to hold the second workshop for survivors of conflict and post-conflict sexual and gender-based violence where it is intended that survivors from different conflict affected areas of Uganda can be involved. The workshop was funded through a grant awarded by the Spanish Ministry. Helen also climbed Snowdon mountain in Wales last April to raise additional funds (£515) towards these activities that are linked to the planned development of a Women’s Peace Centre in Kampala.
TRANSFORM Mental Health Project: Meeting in India
In early March 2024, I had the honour to be invited as a member of the External Advisory Board to attend a meeting of the University of Warwick, TRANSFORM project in Goa, India (see The TRANSFORM Project (warwick.ac.uk). The TRANSFORM project aims to improve access to care and outcomes of serious mental health problems in slums, by developing an innovative collaborative care model involving traditional/faith healers, mental health professionals, primary care practitioners and community health workers (CHWs). This multidisciplinary research programme is being conducted across two slum communities, one each in Korail, Bangladesh and Ibadan, Nigeria (both ODA-eligible countries). The meeting reported how well the training had gone in Nigeria and Bangladesh.
The photos show some of the TRANSFORM members at the meeting in Goa and Helen donating a copy of her book to Sanford and the staff of the International Conference Centre where the meeting took place and Helen at a shrine on the way back from Chorao island after bird watching (see The Birdman of Chorão: Green Heroes Film Festival – TERI (youtube.com).
NORTHANTS AUTHORS EVENT
I was honoured to share a table at Northants Authors Book Event on Saturday 20th April 2024 where I sold books, met some interesting authors and donated a copy of my book to the Wootton Community Centre Library
COVENTRY BOOK EXTRAVAGANZA-6th APRIL 2024
It was brilliant to sell books and share a table with my Inkplotters Writing Group buddy Sandra Peachey. We sold 7 books each, met Lady Godiva who also bought books and donated books to the She Reads She Leads Project which gives books to women who otherwise could not afford them. Very interesting friendly and inclusive day with lots of great authors
Kenilworth books signing
On Saturday 17th August between 1030-1.30pm I sold and signed books at kenilworth Books. This was a brilliant event where I sold 9 books and met lots of interesting people. I a grateful to all at kenilworth Books for their support with this event and thanks to all who supported me!
