The Book
The I Was Born a Girl book was created from the art and poems of the exhibition. It serves as peer support for women, a tool to raise awareness, and a means to promote women’s rights around the world.
The first edition of the book was designed and printed in 2022. The book was tri-lingual (English, Finnish, and Spanish), designed specifically for the opening of the first exhibition in Mexico City for Women's Day 2023. Later editions have been published separately in Finnish, English, and Spanish.
The poems, are all written in Finnish by Minna Pietarinen, and accompany each painting, offering a deeply emotional reflection on the rights and realities of women around the world.
The foreword to the book was written by our Patron, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, Spouse of the President of the Republic of Finland, whose invaluable support brings visibility and depth to the message of the project.
The purpose of the book is to raise awareness, inspire a call to action, and support women globally. It is also intended as a practical tool for organizations working daily to advance women’s rights.
The accompanying texts that tell the stories of the women in the nine original paintings—and the rights they represent—were written by Emma Winiecki, Head of Communications for UN Women Finland, the Finnish National Committee of UN Women.
UN Women is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide.
All other texts in the book have been written by Peppi Stünkel, and all translations—into English and Spanish—have also been completed by Stünkel. The layout design and full production of the books has likewise been handled by Peppi Stünkel.
For any production-related queries, please contact: info@iwasbornagirl.fi
The artworks
To explore the artwork in more depth and read the accompanying poems, please click on the image.
