"With the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to three women leaders, policymakers are beginning to acknowledge that women are essential to peace and security. Six women leaders from Israel, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan--describe how they mobilize for an end to violent conflict. Hear firsthand how women are waging peace within their communities and across conflict lines all over the globe, as well as how decision-makers can draw on underutilized resources and skills to bring women to the table" (Harvard)
Sunday, January 29, 2012
VIDEO: Harvard University Seminar on Why Women Won the Nobel Peace Prize
"With the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to three women leaders, policymakers are beginning to acknowledge that women are essential to peace and security. Six women leaders from Israel, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan--describe how they mobilize for an end to violent conflict. Hear firsthand how women are waging peace within their communities and across conflict lines all over the globe, as well as how decision-makers can draw on underutilized resources and skills to bring women to the table" (Harvard)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Swedish Armed Forces Opens the First Centre for Gender in Military Operations of its Kind
In recent years, Sweden have increased its efforts in the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security as well as related resolutions when it comes to military operations. The Centre for Gender in Military Operations will work to enhance implementation and capacity building through training and education. The content will mainly be derived from lessons identified and lessons learned in the missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, DRC, Chad, Somalia, and Uganda.
Jan Dunmurray, the Commander i Chief of the centre writes:
"Through the establishment of a Centre for Gender in Military Operations we take one important step towards further develop this piece of the puzzle, making sure that we integrate Gender Perspectives into the planning, execution and evaluation of any military operation."
The centre will be the first of its kind and Sweden is already discussing with Norway the possibilities of going international, making it a NATO centre of excellence. The intention is to lead the way when it comes to military skills development on women in armed conflict and for others to follow.
For more information visit: http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/Swedish-Armed-Forces-International-Centre/Centre-for-Gender/
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Women News Network: "CONGO: Discussion groups help male youth work to prevent violence against women"
"(WNN) KINSHASA, DRC: As paramilitary violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues with the absence of much of the western world’s media coverage, United Nations Children’s Fund – UNICEF is helping to bring ‘child-friendly’ spaces to adolescents who have been displaced. Many Congolese youth have experienced, seen or have had loved ones directly affected by violence. Working together with AVSI – the Association of Volunteers in International Service founded in Italy in 1972, along with World Vision, UNICEF is helping to bring adolescent girls and boys to a safe and protected space they can ‘call their own’ where they can discuss issues close to the heart of all teenagers." Read more here: http://womennewsnetwork.net/2012/01/14/congo-discussion-groups-help-male-youth/
The Invisible War - Sexual Violence in the U.S Army Exposed
When we think of sexual violence in war, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Darfur, Liberia, or Colombia etc often comes to mind, seldom do we consider it a "western" problem. Research in recent years and the the documentary film the Invisible War forces us to rethink sexual violence in conflict. It is not "just" a problem affecting civilians, it is rampant among the U.S. military forces as well. In an Reuters article published on the 21st of January the author Sharon Waxman writes:
"Rape in the American armed forces is an issue that has quietly been gathering attention over the past decade. But it exploded with the power of suppressed fury at the screening on Friday afternoon of the documentary “The Invisible War,” a devastating indictment of the government’s inaction on the issue. Director Kirby Dick brought a powerful weapon to his film: victim after eloquent victim of rape by Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, Army, Air Force veterans assaulted by fellow officers, supervisors, recruits. They tell their stories in courageous detail, and it quickly becomes clear that these are not isolated incidents but a pattern reflective of a widespread rot within America’s military institution, one that betrays its essential values."
After decades of silence women serving in the U.S. military are finally speaking out about sexual violence. It is estimated that 500,000 women have been sexually assaulted and that one in three female service members are raped during their service. It is time that the public, politicians, media, and the army itself took this problem seriously. The Invisible War is a good initiative that hopefully will awaken the public and open the eyes of politicians to this pandemic.
Watch the trailer for the Invisible War bellow:
For more information on the Invisible War visit: http://invisiblewarmovie.com/
Read more about sexual violence in the U.S army here:
'Invisible War' Exposes Widespread Rape, Cover-Up in U.S. Military
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/21/idUS53139896120120121
Rape in the U.S. Military: America's Dirty Little Secret http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/09/rape-us-military
Don't Miss the Human Rights Watch 2012 World Report
This 22nd annual Human Rights Watch World Report summarizes human rights conditions in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide in 2011. This report is a great resource on women's human rights and gender issues. The report can be downloaded or purchased here: http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/01/22/world-report-2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Join the " Join Me on the Bridge" Movement; Organize your own Event for International Women's Day on March the 8th 2012!
Last year, hundreds of people decided to host their own Join me on the Bridge campaign; from two to 200, to 2000 people strong, they organized powerful, fun and inspiring events to honour women in conflict areas. Hundreds of events took place around the globe from New York to Kigali last year. Let's make this year even bigger! Support women in war by organizing your own event for International Women's Day on March the 8th and be a part of this fantastic campaign. For more information on how to organize an event visit: http://joinmeonthebridge.org/page/how-to-organise-1
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Join the Association for Women's Rights in Development in Istanbul on April 19-22, 2012 at the 12th AWID International Forum
"The AWID International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development is both a conference and a call to action. The largest recurring event of its kind, the AWID Forum brings together women’s rights leaders and activists from around the world every three to four years to strategize, network, celebrate, and learn in a highly charged atmosphere that fosters deep discussions and sustained personal and professional growth.
Through the 2012 AWID Forum, AWID aim to explore how economic power is impacting women and the planet, and to facilitate connections among the very diverse groups working on these issues from both human rights and justice approaches so that together we contribute to stronger, more effective strategies to advance women's rights and justice. Participation in the AWID Forum is open to anyone who works or has an interest in women’s rights, international development, and social justice. AWID particularly welcomes women and men from the Global South, young women, and groups that historically have had difficulty getting their agendas heard on a global stage." (AWID)
To register go to: http://www.forum.awid.org/forum12/
Video with Kinda Mohamadieh on "Women in the MENA Region Post-Arab Spring"
Margot Wallström: "When Protectors Turn Predators. Army Reforms Needed to Counter Sexual Violence in the Congo"
“A dead rat is worth more than the body of a woman.” Those were the words of one distraught young woman whom I met in Walikale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2010. As the world was once again outraged at the reports of mass rapes in early June 2011 in the DRC’s South Kivu, her words came back to me. Those attacks marked the fourth incident in a series of mass rapes which took place in the previous 18 months in the country. Hundreds of children, women and men have been left to recover with little or no assistance." ( UN Africa Renewal)
Read the Special Representative to the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Margot Wallström's article in the UN Africa Renewal here: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/newrels/congo-sexual-violence.html
Sahar Gul and Nujood Ali - The Faces of Child Marriage
Earlier this month Sahar Gul, a 15-year-old Afghan girl spoke out for the first time since her rescue, saying she hopes her husband and his family will be jailed for tortureing her for months. Sahar Gul became the bruised and bloodied face of women’s rights in Afghanistan after she was rescued from an arranged marriage in December when an uncle contacted the police.
Sahar Gul's story of an arranged marriage and months of abuse made me think of another story, that of Nujood Ali, the girl from Yemen who was forced into marriage at 9 years old with a man in his 30s. After having been subjected to systematic rapes and abuse Nujood escaped and walked into a courtroom in Sanaa and asked for a divorce, which was granted 2 days later. Nujood Ali is now 12 years old and wants to become a lawyer and work with women's rights in Yemen. She is a source of inspiration and a constant reminder of the reality of millions of girls around the globe who are children when they are forced into marriage. In 2010 Nujood Ali released her book " I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced" where she writes:
“I’m a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no.”
Facts and Figures from UNICEF:
- Globally, 36 per cent of women aged 20–24 were married or in union before they reached 18 years of age.
- An estimated 14 million adolescents between 15 and 19 give birth each year. Girls in this age group are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their twenties.2
- Marriage of young girls is most common in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In Niger, 77 per cent of 20- to 24-year-old women were married before the age of 18. In Bangladesh, this rate was 65 per cent.
For more information on child marriage visit: http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/Child_Marriage.pdf
Read more about Sahar Gul in the Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/tortured-afghan-girl-speaks-out-for-first-time-since-rescue-wants-husband-and-in-laws-jailed/2012/01/07/gIQAGtlMhP_story.html
Read more about Nujood Ali here: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1876652,00.html
To buy Nujood Ali's book " I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced" click here:http://www.amazon.com/Am-Nujood-Age-10-Divorced/dp/0307589676
CBS Video: "Women Hold the Key to Peace after War"
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Support the Women of Libya, Sign the Women4Libya Petition Now!
The petition is a initiative by the LCSO (Libyan Civil Society Organisation) that focuses on giving Libyan women a voice and ensuring their participation in the reconciliation process and within the political, social and economical sectors of Libyan society. Leaving women out of the public domain remains one of the most challenging aspects facing the future of a new Libya. To exclude women in the national reconciliation and rebuilding process is to exclude a vital force in the reconstruction of a stable, representative and democratic Libya.
Sign the petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/women4libya/signatures
Sunday, January 8, 2012
International Crisis Group Report on the Insecurity for Women in Sri Lanka's Predominantly Tamil-Speaking North and East
"Women in Sri Lanka’s predominantly Tamil-speaking north and east are facing a desperate lack of security in the aftermath of the long civil war. Today many still live in fear of violence from various sources. Those who fall victim to it have little means of redress. Women’s economic security is precarious, and their physical mobility is limited. The heavily militarised and centralised control of the north and east – with almost exclusively male, Sinhalese security forces – raises particular problems for women there in terms of their safety, sense of security and ability to access assistance. They have little control over their lives and no reliable institutions to turn to. The government has mostly dismissed women’s security issues and exacerbated fears, especially in the north and east. The international community has failed to appreciate and respond effectively to the challenges faced by women and girls in the former war zone. A concerted and immediate effort to empower and protect them is needed." (International Crisis Group)
Read "Sri Lanka: Women’s Insecurity in the North and East" here:
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka/217-sri-lanka-womens-insecurity-in-the-north-and-east.aspx
Women, Peace, and Security in the News:
Reuters: "Afghan girls throw punches, aim for Olympic gold"
"Teenage Afghan sisters Shabnam and Sadaf Rahimi are taking the fight for women's rights more literally than most of their peers, throwing punches in a ring as members of their country's first team of female boxers." Read the article here:http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/02/us-afghanistan-boxing-idUSTRE80104320120102
Bembatrial.org: "A year in the Bemba trial at the ICC"
"Jean-Pierre Bemba’s trial has been on at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for just over one year. This article reviews some of the milestones in the trial of the former vice president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the fourth individual to be tried by the court." Read the article here:
http://www.bembatrial.org/2012/01/a-year-in-the-bemba-trial-at-the-icc/
The Irish Times: "Rape persists in Congo, even when the war is over"
"THE BABY’S name is Alame. His mother, Fazili, lovingly enunciates the word as she gazes at him suckling at her breast. Alame, she explains, means “may he live” in their native Tembo language. The fact that the name was chosen by Fazili’s father means a lot to her – it’s a reminder of her family’s support when many other women in her position have been ostracised. Alame was born to Fazili last spring, nine months after the 15-year-old was raped by an intruder when she was at home alone." Read the article here:http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2012/0103/1224309735054.html
Video on the Erosion of the Rights of Women in Iraq - the Glue that Holds Society Together
Watch Voice of America's Interview with Women for Women International program participants in Iraq on the situation for women and the erosion of their rights here.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Words of wisdom from Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi is a remarkable woman, having dedicated her life to the struggle for peace, democracy, and human rights in Burma. She is a testament to what women can achieve and the power of conviction. In 1991 she recieved the Nobel Peace Price for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. Here are some of her words of wisdom:
“In societies where men are truly confident of their own worth, women are not merely tolerated but valued.”
“It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”
“If you're feeling helpless, help someone.”
“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear”
“You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right.”
Interview with Eve Ensler on her struggle to end violence against women
"Who could have predicted what an effect a group of women talking about vaginas would have. Fifteen years ago, Eve Ensler, then a moderately successful New York playwright, opened the play she had been writing for two years, The Vagina Monologues. Drawing on interviews she had done with more than 200 women, the resulting monologues - delivered, over the years, by actors including Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and Oprah Winfrey - told of women's experiences: sexuality, abuse, love, birth." (V-day, the Guardian)
Read this interview by Emine Saner for the Guardian here: http://www.vday.org/node/2825
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)