News on women, peace and security:

History of newsitems related to women, peace and security

29 january 2010: Reaction from Afghan women civil society leaders to the communiqué of the London Conference on Afghanistan

The following statement was prepared and released by the Afghan Women’s Network. The Afghan Women’s Network, supported extensive consultations with Afghan women leaders preceding the London Conference and then provided for four Afghan women civil society leaders to travel to London during the conference proceedings to present women’s perspectives on security, governance, and regional cooperation. The result was a package of concrete recommendations. Read more

01 October 2009: Zimbabwe: Supreme Court ruling a win for rights over government intimidation

Today’s ruling by Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court against government-led efforts to prosecute prominent human rights defender Jestina Mukoko on charges of terrorism marks an important step toward a return to judicial independence in the country, says Rights & Democracy. Read more

01 October 2009: Chad: No place for us here: Violence against refugee women in eastern Chad

Women and girls from Darfur who have fled from Sudan to Chad in search of safety face rape and other violence on a daily basis, both inside and outside refugee camps. Read the report from Amnesty International

22 September 2009: Afghanistan: The lives of Afghan women-Photos

Photographer Paula Lerner takes a look at the day-to-day lives of women in Afghanista. View the photos

22 September 2009: Iran: Breaking taboo by talking about rape in prisons

A woman – referred to as Nina – spoke about the rape of detainees in the Islamic Republic’s prisons. Read more

16 September 2009: 21 Leaders for the 21st Century 2010

Women's eNews is currently accepting nominations for the 21 Leaders for the 21st Century 2010. Read more

16 September 2009: GEAR Resolution Passed by UN General Assembly

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution today that takes the next step in the process of creating the new Women's Rights entity at the UN. Read the GEAR Talking Points on Adoption of System Wide Coherence Resolution by the UN General Assembly

16 September 2009: Afghanistan: Abuse of women

The report seeks to put back on the agenda some of the issues pertaining to the enjoyment of all human rights by all Afghan women that are being increasingly ignored. Read the report

09 September 2009: Iranian female protestor raped and burned

As the Iranian authorities continue to deny the truth of reports of the raping of political detainees, news has emerged of the horrific rape, killing, and secret burial of a young girl. The perpetrators are believed to be members of the security forces. Read more

07 September 2009: Israel and Palestine: Combatants for Peace

Since 2005, Cokbatants for Peace has organized meetings between Israeli and Palestinian veterans in which both sides tell about the violent actions that they have taken part in and about the turning point that led them to understand the limits of violence. Read their latest newsletter

03 September 2009: Million Acts of Peace

A Million Acts of Peace is a new international peace movement that is challenging one million people from around the world to commit to doing one act of peace. Read more

02 September 2009: Afghanistan: Malalai Joya

Like millions of Afghans, I have no hope in the results of this week’s election. In a country ruled by warlords, occupation forces, Taliban insurgency, drug money and guns, no one can expect a legitimate or fair vote. Read the article by Malalai Joya

03 August 2009: South Africa: Women Bring Rapists to Justice

Recently, a man was sentenced to 13 years in jail for rape, a rare lengthy sentence in South Africa where a recent study found that 28 percent of men had admitted to rape. Read more

03 August 2009: South Africa: Women Bring Rapists to Justice

Recently, a man was sentenced to 13 years in jail for rape, a rare lengthy sentence in South Africa where a recent study found that 28 percent of men had admitted to rape. Read more

03 August 2009: Mary Robinson to receive the US Presidential Medal of Freedom

Mrs Robinson was one of 16 people on the list of recipients for the US Presidential Medal of Freedom which will be presented by Barack Obama. Read more

03 August 2009: Iran: Why the freedom movements lack women's demands

There has been a distinct absence of slogans and demands of women’s rights movement during the recent mass demonstrations in Iran, despite the fact that women have played a significant and inspiring role in every single one of these protests. Read more

30 July 2009: Peace Mediations should include women: UN Report

Sexual violence is increasingly used as a tactic of war, with women and girls the primary targets. Research by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), however, shows that sexual violence is rarely mentioned in peace agreements, and failure to include these crimes has been linked to increased levels of peacetime rape committed by demobilized fighters and ordinary civilians. Read more

29 July 2009: Update New Profile

The ongoing attempt to delegitimize New Profile is being played out, for now, on the forms and desks of bureaucrats.  There are two official scenarios already in process: 1) A petition to the High Court of Justice to revoke New Profile's registration as a non-profit organization, which would amount to shutting off our legal channel for receiving funds; 2) The criminal investigation of New Profile for alleged incitement and assistance with obtaining fraudulent exemptions from the army. Read the update WPP received via email.  

29 July 2009: OPEN LETTER TO PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE UN: RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON “WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY”

We non-governmental organizations, working with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, welcome the UN
Security Council's intention to hold an Open Debate on Women Peace and Security on the 6th August 2009. We urge you to make every effort to ensure that this Open Debate results in action by the Council, UN system and Member States that decisively addresses the use of sexual violence against women and girls in conflict-affected situations and
ensures more effective protection and assistance for survivors. Read the open letter

 

 

 

 

 

29 july 2009: Nepal: Women In Nepal Face Discrimination From the Womb

“Women in Nepal face discrimination from the womb,” Uma told me. Since Nepal is a patriarchal society, the birth of a son is valued at more than that of a daughter. This is due, in part, to religious beliefs that only a son can help give salvation to his ancestors. Read the full article

28 July 2009: Iran: Online graphic novel

The campaign of former Prime Minister Mir Hussein Moussavi galvanized voters hoping for change, especially among the youth – two thirds of Iran’s population is younger than 32. On June 12th 85% of eligible voters cast their ballots and what happened next changed Iran forever. Read the graphic novel inspired by the work of Marjane Satrapi.

27 July 2009: Pacific: Update from femLINKPACIFIC

"The detention of Fiji indigenous high chief and ousted Minister for Education Ro Teimumu Kepa is very disturbing on a number of levels and brings to the fore rising human insecurities including community, economic and personal security, inextricably linked to the political insecurity in Fiji particularly through the events of Easter weekend and the purported abrogation of the 1997 Constitution." Read more

14 July 2009: Honduras: women in the crisis

Women are in the forefront of the protest against the military coup of 28 June in Honduras. In the last week of June, as the threat of a coup loomed, women’s organisations sprang into action, organising marches, mobilising women, writing and distributing bulletins, and sending information and eyewitness images around the world by email, text and social networking media. Read the Press Release from the Central America Women's Network

09 July 2009: Journeys through Darkness: powerful video

This 13 minute feature portrays three women: an ex-member of an Islamist organisation in the UK, a pioneer against violent extremism in Northern Ireland and a young woman affected by terrorism. View the video

07 July 2009: Somalia: Women go where aid agencies fear to tread

Women's groups in embattled Mogadishu are stepping into the aid vacuum to assist thousands more displaced by fighting in the capital, civil society activists said. Read more

07 July 2009: Congo: A broken UN Promise

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is to report to the Security Council on implementation of Resolution 1820. What will we learn? A year after adopting the resolution, Congo remains the worst place on the planet to be a woman. Over 12 years, in a regional economic war for resources, hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been raped and tortured, their bodies destroyed by unimaginable acts. The Security Council's implementation of Resolution 1820 in Congo -- the very place that inspired it -- has been an utter failure. Read the article by Eve Ensler

06 July 2009: B'Tselem’s video camera distribution project wins British One World Media award

B'Tselem won a prestigious British prize for its groundbreaking work in the field of citizen journalism. The One World Media award was given to the organization for its camera distribution project. This project provides video cameras to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Read more

01 July 2009: Threats of legal proceedings against Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its utmost concern regarding the threats of judicial prosecution against Ms. Shirin Ebadi, human rights lawyer, co-founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC), and Nobel Prize winner. Read more

29 June 2009: AWID Analysis of Women’s Movements and 10 Case Studies from Different Regions of the World that Mobilized Women to Make a Difference

AWID’s Building Feminist Movements and Organisations (BFEMO) initiative undertook a series of 10 case studies from different regions of the world that had mobilized women to make a difference. The case studies are not a full representation of current women’s movements but rather an initial effort to document an interesting variety of movement experiences. Read more

22 June 2009: Conference 22 - 25 January 2010: Nonviolent Livelihood Struggle and Global Militarism: Links & Strategies

War Resisters' International is cooperating with Indian partner organisations for an international conference investigating the links between local nonviolent livelihood struggles and global militarism, including war profiteering. Read more

3 June 2009: Rape Crisis in East Congo Tied to Mining Activity

The acute crisis of sexual violence in eastern Congo is being tied to illegal mining interests in the region, which help finance the warring and competing factions that are perpetrating a worsening rape epidemic. Read more .

3 June 2009: Congo/Women Portraits of War: The Democratic Republic of Congo

This is an international photography exhibition and educational campaign to raise awareness of the widespread sexual violence facing women and girls in Congo. Read more

2 June 2009: India- Gujarat: Women create classrooms for peace

In 2002, Gujarat was the site of one of the worst communal riots in India's history, with tensions between majority and minority communities continuing to simmer long after the immediate violence. What made things even worse was the fact that many of those at the receiving end of the violence were from the poorest sections of society. Read more

2 June 2009: 2009 Report of UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women

Download here the report of UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against women, Yakin Ertürk: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

6 May 2009: Voicing the Needs of Women and Men in Gaza: Beyond the Aftermath of the 23-Day Israeli Military Operations

Voicing the Needs of Women and Men in Gaza evaluates the impacts, needs and perceptions of men and women in Gaza following the aftermath of the December, 2008, military incursion. Read the full report

5 May 2009: Gender Equality Architecture Reform Campaign (GEAR)

The UN reform process is important to women because we need the organizational structures, high level leadership and necessary resources to enable governments and the UN system to increase significantly their efforts to fulfill their promises on women's human rights, gender equality and women's empowerment. Read updates on GEAR

29 April 2009: New Profile Interrogated

“Yesterday, several members of New Profile were detained and questioned by the Israeli Police for their political activism. New Profile is a feminist movement established ten years ago, in a concern over the strong militarization of civilian life.

For more information, please visit the New Profile website. Read the article 'Israel's war against youth' in the Guardian on this issue

15 April 2009: A new United Nation’s entity for gender equality and women’s empowerment is in the offing. Proposals on what form it should take will be submitted to the UN General Assembly in September this year

Women’s rights organisations have provided critical feedback on the ways in which the UN gender architecture can be improved to better serve its end. One shortcoming of the current system is that it is fragmented. Within each organisation in the UN system there are gender units, advisers or focal points. Read more

16 February 2009: Women's Assembly Declaration - World Social Forum

"We express our solidarity with women in regions of armed conflict and war. We add our voices to those of our sisters in Haiti and reject the violence perpetrated by the military occupation forces. We support the Colombian, Congolese and countless other women who resist – on a daily basis – the violence of military and militia groups in conflict in their countries. We stand together with Iraqi women facing the violence of the US military occupation." - Read the Women's Assembly Declaration written and approved at the World Social Forum.

10 February 2009: Photographic Competition - portraying gender

The WACC Photographic Competition 2009 has been launched. The competition, in its sixth year, is being run on Flickr  for the fourth time! This year’s theme is “portraying gender”. Photographers are invited to submit photos that portray women or men in ways that offer new perceptions about their roles and responsibilities. Such photos challenge conventional understandings of ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’ and help break the mould of the male-female ‘divide’.

19 January 2009: Call for CEDAW Stories

Since the Convention of Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adapted by the UN General Assembly in December 1979, it has been ratified by 185 countries. What has CEDAW done for women’s rights? And how can we use CEDAW to achieve greater justice for women? To mark CEDAW’s 30th birthday, we want to gather and share stories, testimonies and reflections about CEDAW to inspire women the world over.

18 January 2009: Palestine Daughters - Women's Collaborative Art Project

In December 2007, 20 young women from the Dheisheh Refugee Camp and the town of Bethlehem participated in a series of workshops, centered on a simple exercise: paying attention to the five senses while walking though the camp, from the home of one participant to the next. The young women worked together using video, photography and journal writing, which provided material for further reflection; throughout the process, they composed and shared the story of a personal memory. Read more

14 January 2009: Summer 2009 International Peace Fellowship with The Advocacy Project

The Advocacy Project (AP) is a DC-based non-profit dedicated to strengthening civil society around the world. Using a grassroots approach, our mission is to produce social change by helping advocates for marginalized communities become catalysts for social justice and claim their rights. Each summer, we recruit Peace Fellows to volunteer directly with our partner organizations in the field. Read more