No Women, No Peace: The Recipe for a Lasting Peace

1. 1325 NEWS FOR PEACEWOMEN

An Era of Women Leaders Ends at the U.N.
September 13, 2002 – “The 1990s saw a record number of U.N. agencies led by women. But when Mary Robinson stepped down as high commissioner for human rights on September 11th, the decade of women leaders came to a close.” For the full story by Barbara Crossette, visit: http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=1036

Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Calls Indigenous Women's Meeting
September 11, 2002 - Rigoberta Menchu has announced that the First Summit of Indigenous Women in the Americas will be held from November 30th - December 4th in Oaxaca, Mexico, in a bid to "renew hope in finding new ways to resolve the problems indigenous women continue to face." For more on this story, visit UN Wire at: http://www.unfoundation.org/unwire/2002/09/11/current.asp#28827. For this story in Spanish go to: http://www.cimacnoticias.com/noticias/02sep/02090909.html

Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Pays Special Tribute to Women's NGOs as Peacebuilders
September 9, 2002 - In the opening session of the Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Conference “Rebuilding Societies Emerging from Conflict: A Shared Responsibility” (September 9-11, 2002), paid special tribute to women's NGOs. To see this tribute go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/M.%20Robinson.html

Women Religious and Spiritual Leaders Aim to Increase Role as Global Peacemakers
September 9, 2002- On September 12th at the UN, the Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious and Spiritual Leaders was launched to press for a greater role for women at the negotiating table, and to highlight successful women-led efforts at reconciliation. Hundreds of delegates will meet next month at the UN's Geneva offices to forge a plan of action for this new initiative. For the full story in The Christian Science Monitor visit: http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/role/globdem/globgov/2002/0909women.htm

For More News please see: http://www.peacewomen.org/news/newsindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. REMINDER AND SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Approaching 1325 2nd Anniversary!

October 31st 2002 is the 2nd anniversary of the adoption of Resolution 1325. In the remaining weeks leading up to this important anniversary, there are many things we, as advocates of Resolution 1325, can do. Following is a list of suggested actions, compiled by the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, focusing particularly on practical actions to impact policy:

-Send requests to the head of the Department of Peace Keeping Operations: Under Secretary General Jean-Marie Guehenno, Room S-3727B, United Nations, New York, NY 10017
-Contact decision makers at the United Nations (see http://www.peacewomen.org/un/basics/map.html)
-Contact your Representative to the UN (see http://www.peacewomen.org/contacts/conindex.html)
-Contact your government body that contributes troops to UN Peacekeeping Operations
-Lobby your parliament for effective legislation on women, peace, and security

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. ANALYSIS OF SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1325: No Women, No Peace: The Recipe for a Lasting Peace

On September 11th, at the Department of Public Information/NGO Conference “Rebuilding Societies Emerging from Conflict: A Shared Responsibility” (September 9-11, 2002), Cora Weiss, President of Hague Appeal for Peace, participated in a panel on “Demobilizing the War Machines: Making Peace Last.” Following are excerpts of Cora Weiss' speech in which she offers her recipe for lasting peace:

“The recipe for a lasting peace requires many ingredients. I will urge us to consider just two.

No women, no peace is easy to say, why has it been so hard to achieve? Women are over half the population. We are the first teachers of our children and through stories hand down our experiences and values.

A coalition of international organizations has nurtured and seen the unanimous adoption of SC resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. We have a copy for every one of you. It calls for women at every table where the fate of humanity is at stake. It calls for women, not a woman, for one woman does not women make, to be protected in armed conflict, to have their rights respected, to have States put an end to impunity for war crimes especially those relating to sexual violence against women and girls. It calls for recognizing the special needs of women former combatants and the needs of their children and for women to be represented at all decision-making levels. Including peace processes and in conflict resolution.

We should never forget Mary Robinson's special tribuete to the role of women's groups in peace building. Her Irish poet's verse, should be on every man's desk...women need to be written back into history, " finding a voice where they found a vision."

I am delighted to be sharing this platform with the Under Secretary General for Peace Keeping, the very place that desperately needs a gender unit, and gender sensitivity training through the ranks of all peacekeepers and their leaders. We especially call on you, Mr. Under -Secretary General Guehenno, to create a gender unit in the DPKO, and gender units in every peacekeeping operation. Why can't that be done now, what is there to wait for?

When women are respected, when women are part of the solution they become part of the glue that makes the peace agreement stick. No women, no peace. We are simply asking to share the responsibilities and the opportunities. It's never happened in history. And the present ways are failing. We saw what a difference two women made at the Good Friday Agreement table in Ireland. We can not afford to ignore the abilities and rights of women. All of us here can take 1325 home to promote, and to monitor its implementation.

So, give us women in decision making, integrate peace education into all curricula and community, remove and destroy the guns, and I'll bet you can make peace last… “

For the full version of Cora Weiss' speech go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/voices/speech/coraweiss.html

Previous Analysis done on the 1325 PeaceWomen E-news can be found on-line at http://www.peacewomen.org/news/1325News/1325ENewsindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. PEACEWOMEN AND THE UN: GENERAL ASSEMBLY GENERAL DEBATES

Beginning on September 12th, the General Assembly entered its 57th session. Each new session of the GA begins with a “General Debate,” a two-week long event where heads of state and foreign ministers discuss their opinions on a wide range of issues. After the debate, most of these issues are slated for discussion in one of the General Assembly's six Main Committees.

The WILPF UN Office is currently monitoring the General Assembly high-level debates and compiling excerpts from the statements on several issues, including women, conflict prevention, ICC, peacekeeping and disarmament. As soon as possible, after the close of the high-level debates on September 20th, these compilations, highlighting key positions of government officials on these issues, will be available at: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/genass/gaindex.html.

Until then, all statements to the General Assembly can be found on the United Nations website after the speeches are delivered, at the following address:
http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/57/statements/statements.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. PEACEWOMEN FEATURED CAMPAIGN

Women on the Court Now: 12-Week Window of Opportunity to Get Women on the ICC

Women's Caucus for Gender Justice (WCGJ) is sending out an urgent campaign to try and ensure a substantial presence of women in the International Criminal Court as judges, prosecutor and deputy prosecutors. According to WCGJ: “In order for this court to have legitimacy in the eyes of the world, it must have a representative face and must include a fair representation of women and men. We know from experience how important it is to have women on the Court in addition to legal experts on violence against women to help ensure the proper investigation and prosecution of crimes of gender and sexual violence.”

The period within which to influence this is very brief: the nomination period for judges and the prosecutor for the ICC opened on 9 September and will close on 30 November 2002. The elections will be held from February 3-7, 2002. Of the nine countries that have announced their candidates so far, only one has put forward a woman (Switzerland).

For more information about this campaign and how YOU can actively participate in this urgent campaign visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/campaigns/featured/iccwomen/iccwomen.html

For more PeaceWomen campaigns please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/campaigns/outreachindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. FEATURE CONTACT FOR PEACEWOMEN

NGO Working Groups on Girls (WGGs)/NGO Committee on UNICEF

211 East 43rd Street, Rm 302
New York City, NY 10017
Fax: (212) 599-2712
Email: WGGS@girlsrights.org
For materials or membership information, contact Jackie Shapiro (212) 249-4065

The Working Group on Girls has recognized the need to approach issues with the singular focus of the role or situation of girls, instead of using the broader umbrella heading of "women and children." In 1995 two Working Groups on Girls (WGGs) were established as part of a growing international movement to support the human rights of girls and give voice to their needs. Based in New York and Geneva, the WGGs comprise over 80 international and national NGOs working in about 100 countries.

Their activities support three principal objectives:
-To urge governments to honor their commitments to girls
-To build a network of grassroots NGOs that advocates for girls' rights
-To promote the active participation of girls as agents of change in their own lives and in their societies.

Publication: Action for Girls
Contact person: Clare Nolan, editor of Action for Girls

WGG welcomes submissions of news articles and "best practices" to the newsletter. They will be treating a myriad of issues in future editions of the newsletter, including street children, environment, refugees and early marriage. Send any submissions to the addresses listed above.

For an extensive database of organizations worldwide working on women and peace issues, go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/contacts/conindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. RESOURCES ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future
Edited by Sunita Mehta, co-founder of Women for Afghan Women
Published by Palgrave/St. Martin's Press

This collection explores the history of women's rights and roles in Afghanistan over the past 30 years through the voices of Afghan women themselves and their supporters across the globe. It includes stories, photos, testimonies, and women's strategies for reconstruction. The collection examines a broad change of issues including the current human rights crisis, the history of the UN's support particularly for Afghan women, and women, equality and Islam. There is also a chapter on Resolution 1325 in Afghanistan called “ Women are Opening Doors: Security Council Resolution 1325 in Afghanistan” by Felicity Hill (former director of the WILPF UN Office) and Mikele Aboitiz (Program Associate, PeaceWomen Project).

You can order this book from your local bookstore, or call Palgrave Customer Service at 1 (800) 221-7945 ext. 270 to place a bulk advance order. You can also look up the book on www.amazon.com as well as post reviews.

For a comprehensive annotated bibliography of books, articles and analyses on women's peace theory and activities, as well as NGO position papers, reports, speeches, statements and tools for organisational building. Please go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. FEATURE STATEMENTS FOR PEACEWOMEN: On September 11th

Featured below is a statement by Equality Now on the anniversary of September 11th. We have also included links to statements by WILPF, WILPF US and Women in Black New York below.

International Appeal: "A Year from September 11th, Equality Now Calls for the Inclusion of Women in Conflict Resolution and Warns against a U.S. Attack on Iraq."

New York, September 11, 2002 - The devastating September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and all that has subsequently taken place highlight the urgent need for an effective alternative to the cycle of violence that keeps repeating itself around the world. Women are the key to this alternative. September 11th brought to the world's attention the plight of the women of Afghanistan and highlighted the trampling of their basic human rights. Equality Now is concerned that a year later, following the removal of the Taliban from power, the United States Government is arming and empowering warlords in Afghanistan who are undermining the restoration of peace, security, democracy and human rights in the country, particularly women's rights.

A year after September 11th, drums of war are drowning the prospects for peace and social progress. The cycle of violence continues to plague the Middle East, where the voices of Palestinian and Israeli women advocating peace and respect for the rule of law are ignored rather than recognized and empowered as a unique resource in the quest for an alternative to military assault. The eve of another war in Iraq is upon us, without regard to international law and without regard to the infliction of violence on civilian populations that will undoubtedly occur, as it does everywhere in the indiscriminate new forms of war that have evolved.

Equality Now continues to work to uphold the fundamental human rights principles of equality, to call on all governments to respect the rule of law, and to bring the voices of women into the global dialogue on war and peace. Recognition of the critical role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict is urgently needed to start the process of ending the cycle of violence. This would be the most meaningful tribute to those innocent thousands who lost their lives on September 11th.

To see this statement on the web go to: http://www.equalitynow.org/sept11/sept11_eng_hub.html

For the statement by WILPF International, go to:
http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/voices/declar/WILPFIraqSept2002.html

For the statement by WILPF US, go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/voices/declar/WILPF-US.html

For the statement by Women in Black New York, go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/voices/declar/womeninblack.html

For a comprehensive annotated bibliography of books, articles and analyses on women's peace theory and activities, as well as NGO position papers, reports, speeches, statements and tools for organizational building, please go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. CALENDAR EVENTS FOR PEACEWOMEN

International Day of Peace and Global Cease-Fire Day
September 21st, according to the UN calendar, is the international day of peace and, for the first time, also the global cease-fire day, unanimously ratified by the UN General Assembly. It was last year on September 8th, 2001, that the "United Nations International Day of Peace", was strengthened to become an annual day of global cease-fire. This is the first time that the world community has ever attempted a global cease-fire.

WILPF Canada National Meeting
October 4th and 6th, 2002, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada
The first National Meeting of the Canadian Section in over 50 years, this meeting will provide an opportunity for WILPF members to elect an Executive, adopt By-laws for the running of the Section and to brainstorm on ways to improve communication and effectiveness both at the Branch and the national level. Participation at the meeting is open to all WILPF members.
For more information call (+ 1 604) 980 83 06, or email wilpfcanada@yahoo.ca

The WILPF Canada meeting will run concurrently with Escalating Peace, a joint conference organized by WILPF Canada, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, and the Canadian Peace Alliance. For more information about this joint conference visit Canadian Peace Alliance: http://www.acp-cpa.ca/peaceconference2002.htm

Call for Papers for Canadian Woman Studies Fall 2002 Issue: Women and Peace-Building
This issue will focus on women's struggles for peace and conflict resolution, how women's organizations help to rebuild civil societies, the success of women's initiatives to build bridges to promote peace and resistance strategies. The aim of this issue is to bring together a collection of cutting-edge, forward-looking analyses, and in-depth accounts of women's peace initiatives. Possible topics for submissions include: historical analyses of women's contributions to peace; women's roles within social movements in war-torn countries; women's contributions to fostering a culture of peace. Submissions can include essays, research reports, true stories, poetry, drawings, and other artwork that addresses these issues.
The deadline for submission is October 30th, 2002.
For more information call (416) 736-5356. Fax: (416) 736-5765. Email: luciana@yorku.ca or visit http://www.yorku.ca/cwscf

Training on Resolution 1325
September 21, (World Peace Day) El Salvador
WILPF- El Salvador (LIMPAL) and collaborative partners will carry out a training on Resolution 1325. The training will address the necessity for women's participation in all dimensions and in all levels of peace efforts, negotiations, reconstruction, reconciliation, re-population and war prevention. The organizers and attendees intend to discuss and develop the program from the bottom-up and to see possible ways to implement it in all aspects of life in their country. Please look for the follow-up from this event in the next newsletter.

For more calendar events please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/frame/calendar/calendar.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The PeaceWomen is a project of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Please visit us at http://www.peacewomen.org.
Previous 1325 PeaceWomen E-news can be found on-line at http://www.peacewomen.org/news/1325News/1325ENewsindex.html
At this time the Newsletter is only available in English. The PeaceWomen Team hopes to translate the Newsletter into French and Spanish in the future. If you would not like to receive the English News Letter but would like to be placed on a list when translation is possible please write to 1325news@peacewomen.org
To unsubscribe from the 1325 PeaceWomen News, reply to this email with "unsubscribe" as the subject heading.
Questions, concerns and comments can be sent to 1325news@peacewomen.org. 1325 news and other submissions should be directed to 1325news@peacewomen.org