03/23/2026
Bibliotherapy for Youth:
Why should stories be part of gender equality and justice work?
On Monday, March 9, as part of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW), Set Them Free held a session with our youth team titled “Bibliotherapy for Youth: Rewriting the Story of Gender Equality and Justice,” focusing on mental health, youth leadership, and social justice.
Policy changes that are not grounded in psychological and cultural frameworks often fail to advance. Literature is a powerful tool in establishing this foundation; it reveals invisible systems, reduces hesitation, and opens space to imagine alternatives beyond limiting identities. As psychotherapist, the mentor of this project, Melike Güray noted: “If we change the stories, we change the boundaries of what is possible.”
Key takeaways from the panel:
Group reading fosters empathy; shared reflection spaces create safer dialogue across differences.
is practical. Low-cost, group-based reading programs can be implemented in schools, community centers, and youth services.
Policymakers, educators, and mental health professionals can collaborate to implement trauma-informed bibliotherapy models in partnership with local libraries and youth organizations.
