News and Announcements from the WPP:

 

12 February 2011: IFOR Statement on Egypt

"For the past weeks members of the fellowship of reconciliation around the world have joined the people of Egypt in prayer, hope, activism and advocacy. The people of Egypt showed the world perseverance in the face of adversity as they sought change through nonviolent resistance." Read the IFOR Statement on Egypt.

29 January 2011: The Philippines: Peace constituency vital to 'hear women's voices'

"If you don’t have a peace constituency, women won’t have a voice,” she said during a dialogue this morning with delegates from various local and international non-government organizations held at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) headquarters in Pasig City. The organizations were brought together in a training organized by the Aksyon para sa Kapayapaan at Katarungan – Action for Peace and Justice (AKKAPKA) together with IFOR/WPP African Desk. Read more

15 January 2011: UNSCR 1960 and the need for focus on full implementation of UNSCR 1325 - Open Letter

"We believe it is essential to ensure that regular consultations are undertaken with women's civil society organizations. The implementation of UNSCR 1325 as well as of any subsequent resolutions relating to women and peace and security will only be effective through involvement of women and civil society organizations." Read the Open Letter to Member States of the Security Council regarding Resolution 1960

10 January 2011: Asia: International Women Peacemaker's Conference 2010

After a successful conference last September 2010 in Jakarta Indonesia  Multicultural Women Peacemakers in the Netherlands (MWPN) would like to invite you to a DeBriefing meeting  on the interfaith perspective in realizing the role of women peacemakers in the implementation of UN resolution 1325. IFOR/WPP staff Merle Gosewinkel will talk about UNSCR 1325. Read more

13 December 2010: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign: Nepal

This year 16 days activism for Violence Against Women in Nepal centered around the issues of citizenship. Please read the article of the Women Alliance for Peace, Power, Demoracy and Constituent Assembly (WAPPDCA - it's a women alliance of 11 organisations). IFOR member BIKALPA is part of this alliance.

14 November 2010: WPP Workshop on Engaging Men for the implemenation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 - Peace Fair 2010

The WPP was happy to be part of the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 at the Peace Fair 2010. We contributed to the Peace Fair by facilitating a workshop entitled “Engaging Men for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325”. The Peace Fair, initiated by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), created a space for civil society to showcase their work on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women and peace and security and to share strategies and lessons learned on implementing the resolution.

Read more on the WPP workshop. Read more on the Peace Fair.

13 November 2010: In-country and Global Monitoring of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 - Netherlands

As part of the Netherlands WO=MEN Working Group on UNSCR 1325, the WPP contributed to a monitoring report on the implementation of 1325 in the Netherlands. This report was part of a larger in-country and global monitoring of UNSCR 1325 project, initiated by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders. Read more

Interfaith Peace Building Consultation: The Need for a Gender Perspective” - September 2010 – Cyprus

The role religion plays in conflict is increasingly acknowledged; as a cause of conflict, but also more and more as a way to overcome conflict, resulting in a rising number of interfaith and faith-based peace initiatives. IFOR/WPP organized a three-day consultation with 35 women activists from 21 different countries representing various religions and faiths, to further investigate the triangle of religion, peacebuilding and gender. Read the report here.

Engendering Peace - Incorporating a Gender Perspective in Civilian Peace Teams

This publication is the result of a one-year pilot study, which explored the field of civilian-based peace keeping from a gender perspective. Download the publication

 

News on women, peace and security:

 

17 March 2011: Feminist Dialogue on Militarism and Military Intervention

The Center for Women's Global Leadership, along with the Global Fund for Women and Ipas, organized a Feminist Dialogue on Militarism and Military Intervention - view the video

08 March 2011: International WOmen's Day - Congo Men's Network

On the occasion of International Women's Day, organizations participated in a peaceful march. Read the report in French. Read the report in English

08 March 2011: The Need for Women’s Full Participation in All Areas of Peace and Security to Enhance Conflict Prevention and Ensure Sustainable Peace

On International Women's Day 2011, we call for the full participation of women in all areas of peace and security, including political and financial support for women’s participation in peace and security decision-making processes. Read the statement from GPPAC and colleagues

02 March 2011: A woman leading change in Yemen

Human rights activist Tawakkul Karman represents a positive image of Yemeni women. Long before she was photographed leading February’s protests against the government, she was called a brave defender of freedom of expression and human rights in Yemen - Read more

02 March 2011: The Constitutional Amendments Exclude Women Candidates for the Presidential Elections

"The Egyptian Coalition for Civic Education and Women's Participation" has received and reviewed the constitutional amendments. These amendments have led to great worries amongst the coalition for they did not achieve what the Egyptian people aimed for, nor meet the revolution's demands. As such the amendments are restoring the system of the past regime - Read more

23 February 2011: Statement from the Coalition of Women's NGOs in Egypt

The Coalition of Women’s NGOs in Egypt endorses and supports all the demands of the 25th of January revolution and hereby ensures the full participation of women in all efforts related to getting rid of the previous regime, including all its institutions and symbols. Please read the full statement.

22 February 2011: Nonviolence activism is a force that gives us meaning

"A nonviolent activist is empowered by his or her action, and need not recover from it. In fact, those confronted by nonviolent activism can be empowered by it as well." Read the article nonviolence activism is a force that gives us meaning.

18 February 2011: Guaranteeing Women's Rights in the New Egyptian Constitution

Specific guarantees covering the political representation of women need to be written into Egypt’s new Constitution to ensure a significant women’s Parliamentary presence. Read recommendations on the inclusion of women's rights in the new egyptian constitution

15 February 2011: To The Gatekeepers of Women’s Honor: an open letter from the Women of Afghanistan

How often they have heard us unload the same concerns: how fragile have been our gains, how meaningless have been the laws we’ve fought to have passed, how useless have been the policies we struggled to see implemented in this land where there is no belief in women’s rights.  Where a woman’s position in society is considered a mere extension of her role in her family and tribe, and where ethics and beliefs are exclusively understood through a masculine definition, for which women pay the price every day. Read the open letter: To The Gatekeepers of Women’s Honor: an open letter from the Women of Afghanistan

25 January 2011: Preliminary Statement on the 2011 Southern Sudan Referendum Processes January 20 2011

The Southern Sudan referendum allowed the free expression of the will of the people for self-determination. Turnout was massive, in a peaceful environment, and administrative procedures met national legal requirements in an atmosphere of respect and cooperation. Read the Preliminary Statement on the Referendum from the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) and the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE)

25 January 2011: GEAR - Civil Society Recommendations for UN Women Gender Entity

The Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign has collected input from civil society organizations from around the world. Read the recommendations received by early January 2011.