Campaigns and Actions related to women, peace and security

2009:

16 September 2009: Regional Women's Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in SEE

The Regional Women’s Lobby (RWL) for Peace, Security and Justice in SEE calls upon EULEX and the Kosovo Government to urgently act to end the hunger strike of the mothers holding a vigil in front of the Prishtina morgue. Read the press statement

14 September 2009: Afghanistan: Five Million Afghan Women Campaign

Women rights activists and civil society representatives from all over the country gathered and launched a campaign of 5 million Afghan eligible women to support women’s political participation in order to ensure the rule of law and gender equality. Read more

13 September 2009: Burma: Help Justice Defeat Tyranny

Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to another year and a half of detention on trumped up charges. Sign the petition to condemn the cruel conviction of Aung San Suu Kyi.

12 September 2009: Iran: Ongoing detention, judicial prosecution and intimidation

Front Line is deeply concerned that Human rights defenders in Iran continue to face ongoing detention, judicial prosecution and intimidation following the post-election protests of June 2009. Take Action!

31 July 2009: Chechnya: Assassination of human rights defender Ms Natalya Estemirova

Natalya Estemirova was an award winning human rights defender who had continued to document human rights violations in Chechnya and speak out on behalf of victims and their families in the face of repeated death threats and harassment. Read more

28 July 2009: Iran: Solidarity Statement

On the occasion of the Global Day of Action for Human Rights in Iran, members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC) express solidarity with the civil society in Iran. Read the Statement

13 July 2009: Colombia: Intimidation and threats against journalist and prominent human rights defender, Ms Claudia Julieta Duque and her daughter

Over the course of the years, the Government has at times granted protection to Claudia Duque, including the use of an armoured car. This, however, has been insufficient to ensure full protection of her life and that of her family members and she has at times been forced to go temporarily into exile. Read more

06 July 2009: Philippines: Ms Aurora Broquil, Mr Francisco Honra and Ms Emily Fajardo received death threats

On 27 June 2009, at 9.44 am, Aurora Broquil received a direct death threat through a text message sent to her mobile phone. Read more and take action

06 july 2009: Global Media Monitoring Project 2009/2010

In November 2009, the world news media will once again come under scrutiny during the 4th Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP). Volunteers from women's rights organizations, media associations, academia, etc across the world will collaborate in a one-day global research on gender in their local news media. GMMP research results are applied as a tool for change towards gender equality in and through media. Read more and get involved!

01 July 2009: Israel: authorities detain Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire and other humanitarian workers

Israel has illegally seized, from international waters, the 'Spirit of Humanity,' a boat carrying much needed humanitarian relief for the Palestinians living under siege in Gaza. Its 21 human rights workers are being detained, one of them is Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Take Action! Read the statement from the Nobel Women’s Initiative, respond to their Action request or sign a petition. Mairead Maguire speaks from Israeli jail cell after arrest on boat delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

29 June 2009: Tunisia: Harassment and attacks on human rights lawyers

Human rights defenders Ms Radhia Nasraoui and Mr Raouf Ayadi were subjected to a "Zero six" full body and luggage search on their return to the country from Geneva. At around the same time Abdelwahab Maatar, returning from Paris, was beaten in Sfax airport for refusing to be body searched. Read more

25 June 2009: Petition Iran: stop the crackdown

Sign the petition calling on ALL governments to condemn the crackdown and withhold recognition of any Iranian government until election concerns are peacefully addressed.

24 June 2009: Pakistan: End Government Harassment of Pakistani Champion of Women's Rights

In 2002, Mukhtar Mai was gang-raped on orders of a traditional village council as punishment for acts allegedly committed by her younger brother. She fought back and testified in a rape case. For her activism, she has faced constant harassment. Take Action!

 

 

 

6 May 2009: CONGO: Activiste Justine Masika Bihamba ernstig bedreigd

In het gewapende conflict in het oosten van de Democratische Republiek Congo worden heel veel vrouwen en meisjes op grote schaal en op gruwelijke wijze verkracht. Justine Masika Bihamba leidt een organisatie die dit seksueel geweld bestrijdt. Maar zij wordt bedreigd, net als vele andere mensenrechtenverdedigers in de Democratische Republiek Congo. Neem aktie!

27 April 2009: Solidarity and support needed for the women of Fiji says World YWCA

"It was not such a blessed Easter for the people of Fiji. The country has become increasingly unstable in the past few days after its Court of Appeal ruled last Thursday that Commodore Bainimarama's regime was illegal under the country's 1997 constitution. Read more . Read the article 'Fiji treads in Burma's footsteps'

5 April 2009: Imprisonment and Whipping of 75 year-old Woman

On March 3, 2009 Mrs. Sawadi, a 75 year old woman living in Hail, northern Saudi Arabia, was accused, and found guilty, of mingling with two young men to whom she was not immediately related. WLUML, and its allies, demand that Saudi Arabia demonstrate its commitment to human rights and release Khamisa Sawadi, Fahd al-Anzi, and Hadiyan bin Zein and revoke the order of deportation. Read more

12 February 2009: Immediately Release Imprisoned Iranian Women’s Rights Activist, Alieh Eghdamdoust

Alieh Eghdamdoust is one of the women’s rights activists arrested in the June 12, 2006 protest in support of women’s rights in Hafte Tir Square in Tehran. She was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment and 20 lashings in her original trial and in appeals three years of her prison sentence was upheld. On January 31, 2009 she was transferred under guard from Fouman City in the north of Iran, to Evin prison in Tehran. Take action!

05 February 2009: Two Objectors Return to Military Prison in Israel

Having finished their previous prison terms last week, COs Raz Bar-David Varon and Maya Yechieli Wind reported on Sunday, 1 Feb., at the Induction Base, declared their refusal to serve in the Israeli military and were given a conditional sentence of 10 days in military prison. Support them!

26 January 2009: Judicial claims against Ms Leyla Yunus, human rights defender and director of the Azerbaijani Institute of Peace and Democracy

Minister Usubov accused Leyla Yunus of libel against the police and the Ministry of the Interior, following an interview in which she claimed that the right to a fair trial was not respected in Azerbaijan. Please take action on behalf of Azerbiajani human rights defender Ms Leyla Yunus.

21 January 2009: Open letter to President Obama

"We are calling on you to exercise leadership in dismantling the structures that perpetuate gender inequality, impede women's full participation in society and thwart real progress for people around the world." Read the open letter to to President Obama from a group of global and domestic women's organizations who had gathered in New York.

21 January 2009: Launch of the Save Zimbabwe Now solidarity movement

On Wednesday 21 January the 'Save Zimbabwe Now-initiative' be launched. This initiative aims to consolidate the existing solidarity groups and actions where possible into a loud and clear voice represented by all parties and stakeholders both here in South Africa and in Zimbabwe. Read the press invitation. Read the letter of introduction. Read the concept note Save Zimbabwe Now! Visit their website: www.savezimbabwenow.com

15 January 2009: Statement by Israeli Women's Organizations in Israel: No to Gaza war!

We women’s organizations from a broad spectrum of political views demand an end to the bombing and other tools of death, and call for the immediate start of deliberations to talk peace and not make war. The dance of death and destruction must come to an end. We demand that war no longer be an option, nor violence a strategy, nor killing an alternative. The society we want is one in which every individual can lead a life of security – personal, economic, and social. Read more on the statement 'No to Gaza War'. Read the blog Human rights in Gaza and Israel during the hostilities

14 January 2009: Women human rights defender disfigured and murdered in Nepal

The National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders (NAWHRDs) requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Nepal. NAWHRDs is shocked and appalled about murder of Ms. Uma Singh, journalist of Radio Today FM and a member of Women Human Rights Defender Network. She was severely mutilated by a group of armed men and later died on the way to a hospital in Kathmandu. Take action!

08 January 2009: Claudina Velásquez - Guatemala

Law student Claudina Velásquez, 19, was shot dead in August 2005. The initial investigation into her death was seriously deficient, but her family persisted in demanding justice. Largely owing to their efforts, investigations restarted after November 2005. By that time, however, critical evidence had probably been lost, and there is a danger that Claudina’s killers may never be brought to justice. Read more