“Tirek: The Thread of Her Life”: Almaty exhibition weaves stories that stir hearts and spark conversations on women’s rights

Date: Tuesday, 9 December 2025

Almaty, 5 December 2025 – The Almaty Gallery has opened its doors to a groundbreaking Central Asian data-art exhibition, “Tirek: The Thread of Her Life.” This unique initiative brought together artists, influencers, activists, researchers, government representatives, civil society, international organizations, and youth in a powerful visual dialogue on women’s rights.

The exhibition “Tirek: The Thread of Her Life” was first launched in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in July 2025, marking the start of a regional effort that now unites countries across Central Asia in a conversation about the rights of women and girls through art and data.

‘Tirek’ is rich in meaning — in Turkic languages, it signifies ‘support,’ ‘pillar,’ and ‘foundation.’ Through art, we turn data into living stories, transforming numbers into a powerful call for solidarity, policy change, and systemic solutions — the pillars of equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls.

This event is also part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign calling for action to end violence against women and girls. This year, the campaign focuses on digital violence — a growing threat that affects women and girls worldwide. While the digital world offers connection and opportunity, for many women and girls it has become a space of abuse. By merging data and art, the exhibition creates emotional connections and inspires viewers to advocate for change, empathy, and small actions to prevent all forms of violence — including digital abuse, which can escalate to physical violence and femicide.

Data-art is an innovative approach that transforms statistics into stories and lived experiences, and then into artistic expressions that evoke emotions, reflection, and dialogue in search of solutions.

Ceren Güven Güres, Head of the UN Women Central Asia Liaison Office and Representative of the UN Women Country Office in Kazakhstan, delivers opening remarks at the exhibition, underscoring the human stories behind the numbers and the urgent need to advance women’s rights. Photo: UN Women/Yuri Vyblov

“We are proud to see this exhibition come to life in Kazakhstan, continuing its powerful journey across Central Asia after its debut in Bishkek. When data and art come together, numbers stop being abstract — they become voices, stories, and calls for change. Through creativity and evidence, we shine a light on the realities of women and girls, making them visible and impossible to ignore,” highlighted Ceren Güven Güres, Head of the UN Women Central Asia Liaison Office and Representative of the UN Women Country Office in Kazakhstan during her opening remarks. “We thank our partners for their unwavering support and the extraordinary artists whose talent and vision transformed statistics into compelling works of art for equality.”

A visitor engages with the interactive installation, weaving a thread into the shared canvas. Each color represents a theme — violence and vulnerability, gender roles, body and health, education and opportunities — symbolizing connection and collective action for women’s rights. Photo: UN Women/Yuri Vyblov

The Almaty exhibition featured 14 artworks created by artists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with support from the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and the School of Data. Each piece is based on real gender data and explores critical issues faced by women and girls over the life cycle: from invisible labour and isolation to economic inequalities, discrimination, gender-based violence, maternal mortality, and harmful stereotypes.

In this space, data and art form a symbolic pillar — a visual and conceptual foundation that not only highlights urgent issues but also serves as a platform for advancing the rights of women and girls across Central Asia.

Gender-based violence expert Halida Ajigulova and human rights activist Aitbek Amangeldy join artists during thematic art sessions to explore the realities of gender-based violence in Central Asia, why many cases remain invisible, and how data art can drive awareness and change. Photo: UN Women/Yuri Vyblov.

The official opening also featured guided tours with the curator and artists, thematic art sessions with activists on gender-based violence, body rights, education, and economic opportunities, as well as a workshop on creating traditional rag dolls inspired by visitors’ stories and memories, and public lectures on data-art.

“When statistics become tangible, they stop being abstract and turn into stories you can feel. That is when the conversations we envisioned truly begin,” emphasized Zhanna Assanova, the exhibition curator, during the guided tour.

The exhibition ‘Tirek: The Thread of Her Life’ is open to visitors from 5 to 15 December 2025 at Almaty Gallery, Dostyk Street 44, Almaty, Kazakhstan. Admission is free.

The exhibition is organized under UN Women’s regional programme “Making Every Woman and Girl Count” in partnership with the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence and the UN Women Country Office in Kazakhstan.

We thank the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty Gallery, Almaty Ayenderi Palace of the Republic, and the Almaty City Department of Culture for their valuable support.