Three photojournalists on documenting the human cost of conflict

Bearing witness is an ethical responsibility for Borrazas, Hayeri and Kochetova. The all-female panel discuss a human-driven approach to contemporary war photography. 

by Maddie Dinnage

Documenting the realities of conflict is an emotionally taxing and dangerous task, particularly for female photojournalists. Three accomplished photojournalists delved into the stories behind the images, stressing the importance of building trust with subjects.

Ximena Borrazas drew attention to the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, experienced by tens of thousands of Tigrayan women in a targeted attempt to destroy their fertility. Borrazas captured the heartbreaking injustices experienced by the women she encountered, drawing attention to the physical and psychological remnants.

Borrazas shows an x-ray scan of a womb. Inside, a pair of steel nail clippers, inserted after the woman had been gang-raped by six soldiers. “It could be your womb, my womb, your sister's womb,” she said, “I truly believe that through this forensic format, it's possible to engage people all over the world.”

There are pockets of joy and resilience amongst the struggle, according to Kiana Hayeri. Her No Woman’s Land project visualised life as a woman under the Taliban regime. By establishing close connections with families, Hayeri gained access to a world of female resistance, from underground schools to at-home birthday celebrations.

Though documenting the truth is important, ensuring the safety of subjects is paramount. “We made sure their identities were protected at all times,” said Hayeri.

Ukrainian photojournalist and poet, Julia Kochetova, exhibited a body of work which was far more than an assignment, it was her personal reality.

Kochetova studied in art school, and has since developed a practice that interweaves her creative pursuits, combining photography, watercolours and spoken-word poetry for an immersive impact. “It’s not enough to see the work,” she said, “you need to feel to remember something.”

Through her War Is Personal project, Kochetova highlighted the human impacts of the Russian-Ukraine conflict, a perspective which is often lost in traditional coverage. “Media shapes war as the maps, numbers, territories, and great stories, losing the humans in all these numbers. But my country is not about headlines and my people are not about great stories.”