The photography workshops titled “Inclusive Photography – Her Lens” were designed as creative and participatory activities aimed at empowering women through visual storytelling and strengthening their psychosocial well-being. By placing the camera in women’s hands, the workshops encouraged participants to reflect on their identities, everyday realities, and aspirations, while fostering self-expression, confidence, and inclusion.

A total of 30 women participated in the workshops. The first workshop was held in Idlib on 12–13–14 December 2025, followed by the second workshop in Azaz on 25–26–27 December 2025. Each three-day workshop was facilitated by professional trainers using inclusive, gender-sensitive, and participatory methodologies.

During the workshops, participants were introduced to the basics of photography, including composition, light, framing, and visual narrative. Beyond technical skills, the sessions focused on photography as a tool for self-expression and social reflection. Women were encouraged to capture images that represented their own perspectives, experiences, and voices, emphasizing the concept of “her lens” as a means of reclaiming visibility and agency.

Group discussions and collective photo reviews created a supportive space for sharing stories behind the images, promoting empathy, dialogue, and mutual learning among participants. Through this process, women gained confidence in expressing themselves visually and learned to see their everyday environments through a new, empowered perspective.

Overall, the “Inclusive Photography – Her Lens” workshops demonstrated the power of visual arts as a means of empowerment and psychosocial support. The activity contributed to enhancing participants’ self-esteem, creativity, and sense of belonging, while highlighting photography as an inclusive tool for storytelling, resilience, and women’s empowerment in challenging contexts.