The Power of Women

A doctor's journey of hope and healing

Denis Mukwege

$32.99

Paperback

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English

Octopus
01 November 2021

Autobiography: general; Society & Social Sciences; Sexual abuse & harassment; Feminism & feminist theory; Ethical issues & debates; Gender studies: women

'These women are each a light and an inspiration, demonstrating how the best instincts of humanity - to love, to share, to protect others - can triumph in the worst possible circumstances.'

Nobel laureate, world-renowned doctor and human rights activist Dr Denis Mukwege has dedicated his life to caring for and treating survivors of sexual violence, as the founder of the Panzi hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo which specialises in injuries caused by rape. This book is a compelling and inspiring call-to-action to combat the scourge of violence against women, and to better learn from their resilience, strength and power.

Congo, with its tumultuous history of exploitation and conflict, has experienced a spiral of unprecedented and incomprehensible violence for the past two decades. Set against the backdrop of his war-torn country, Mukwege tells of the extraordinary women whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and abuse, but who have survived, healed, bought land, started businesses, and helped to rebuild their shattered communities. They are the heroines of the book.

The truth is that, through the intricate ties of the global economy, we are all implicated in violence against women - whether it occurs amidst the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo or on university campuses in the West. Building more inclusive, gender-balanced societies will require not only a systemic change in male behaviour but a world-wide effort to break down the taboos surrounding assault. Dr. Mukwege's writing addresses men directly, encouraging and guiding them to speak out and join the struggle, rather than leave women to fight the battle alone.

For Dr Mukwege, 'emotion without action is pointless'. The Power of Women is an impassioned plea for all of us to say 'no' to indifference.

By: Denis Mukwege
Imprint: Octopus
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 232mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 28mm
Weight: 400g
ISBN: 9781780725352
ISBN 10: 1780725353
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 01 November 2021
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , General/trade , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Dr Denis Mukwege was born in the Belgian Congo in 1955. As a child and young man, he was a first-hand witness to racial prejudices, as well as to the economic and moral decay of the Democratic Republic of Congo under dictatorship. Now a world renowned gynecological surgeon, he is recognized as the world's leading expert on treating rape injuries, and his holistic approach to healing has inspired other initiatives around the world. In 2014, he was invited to the White House by Barack Obama. In Europe, he was awarded the prestigious Sakharov human rights prize award, earning him major public recognition for the first time. In 2018, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yazidi human rights activist and sexual violence survivor Nadia Murad.

Reviews for The Power of Women: A doctor's journey of hope and healing

Mukwege wrote this book to break that silence. We can start by reading his searing work and reflecting on what it says about our society that when he repaired a penis in 2008, it made worldwide headlines, while every year he treats thousands of female patients with mutilated genitals and there is not a fraction of the interest -- Christina Lamb * NATIONAL [PRINT] The Australian [AUDIENCE: 94,448, ASR: 8,593] *