Continuing in their efforts for the use of non violence to enable and ensure gender inclusive conflict transformation, femLINKPACIFIC (Media Initiatives for Women) will be undertaking a series of Blue Ribbon Women's Community Media Exchange (dialogue) sessions in their four target communities commencing on the first anniversary of the December 5th coup:

"This year, through funding available from the AUSAID Civil Society Support Programme, femLINKPACIFIC is turning their attention to the status of women in four rural communities, and their situation since the military takeover of December 5, 2006," says Coordinator, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls.

"We will be staging a series of Blue Ribbon Women's Community Media Exchange Programmes commencing with Labasa on December 5th, and continuing in Ba, Nadi and Nausori before Christmas. We believe, that as an organisation committed to assisting in the process of conflict transformation through the use of community media, it is our responsibility to go and listen to women in rural communities; this is an extension of our Blue Ribbon Campaign."

The women's media initiative will bring together up to 30 local women leaders, drawn from the networks of the National Council of Women, to highlight their concerns and also their perspectives on national developments, especially since (but not limited to) December 5th:

"As we all know, for too long, women have continued to be marginalised from the mainstream of major consultations, because of our political realities and we need to use alternative ways into to ensure that whether it is about the National Budget or the People's Charter, and the road map for the return to parliamentary democracy, women's views and opinions and leadership values are fully integrated. We will therefore be asking the question to the local women leaders we will be meeting ...."how do they feel we should proceed to ensure they feel they are fully integrated into this process of conflict transformation for our country? These issues will then be collated into another series of "My Life, My Issue, My Peace" documentation as well as serving to inform femLINKPACIFIC of the issues we need to raise from the grassroots to the capital city and beyond."

Meanwhile, this week's Blue Ribbon Peace Vigil will focus on the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Based Violence, and femLINKPACIFIC is extending an invitation to Suva based community leaders to join them in the silent vigil commencing at 1pm at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral tomorrow, 29 November:

" This is a truly significant international campaign linking women's groups across the globe in solidarity to act and speak out together to denounce all forms of violence against women. It is critical that we all unite as peacewomen and human rights defenders to realize the transformation from a life of violence and armed conflict, to one where all people enjoy political, social and economic security, including the benefits of development. We need to pay particular attention to existing economic insecurities and demand more economic empowerment opportunities for women. Whether it is a result of viable sustainable livelihood programmes or the opportunity to earn an equitable wage (because there are jobs) women need to be able to negotiate for greater opportunity to define their future and that of their family and community. During such politically fragile times, as we are experiencing right now, it is even more vital that more leaders from the community to business sector also address the institutional violence, especially economic policies, which are making women are more invisible from the national development agenda. Women are more vulnerable to exploitation because of their poverty."

For more information contact femLINKPACIFIC (Ph 679 3310303) www.femlinkpacific.org.fj