Western Sahara Index | News | Organizations | Resources

Women, Peace and Security Initiatives: Western Sahara
In-country | International

In-Country

Appeal to the International Community
September 29, 2003
The Saharawi Human Rights Defensors condemn the Moroccan government’s decision to deport human rights activists from the villages of Western Sahara and South of Morocco. In their appeal, they urge the Moroccan State to stop inmediately its decision to deport human rights activists, to reintegrate the human rights activists at work, to liberate all Saharawi political prisoners, and to judge all actors of human rights violations. Also, they urge the international community, particularly the United Nations, to assume their responsibility in protecting the respect of human rights in Western Sahara. For the full text of the Appeal click here. For more information visit the Association of Families of Disappeared and Detained Saharawis.

IV Congress of the National Union of Sahara Women
March 29-31, 2002
Under the slogan of “Saharawi Women: a movilization force for the National Idependence and Progress”, the IV Congress of the National Union of Sahara Women issued a declaration urging the application of the United Nations peace plan and Houston agreements in Western Sahara. Also, it called the international community to urge the government of Morroco to respect the international law and alllow the people of Western Sahara to express their right to self-determination. For more information visit the National Union of Saharawi Women.

International Day of Solidarity with the Dissappeared Saharawis
June 5, 1999
The Union of Saharawi Lawyers (USL) launched on the International Day of Solidarity with the Dissappeared Saharawis, an appeal urging the international community, and the United Nations Mission for a Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), to asssume their responsibility regarding the human rights violations of Saharawi citizens in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, and the Moroccan government to stop its crimes against humanity. Also, the USL required M.Emmanuel Roucounas, an independent lawyer in charge of the file of the prisoners, to visit the occupied territories of the Sahara Occidental, in order to require the explanation of all the cases of disappearance and detention outstanding before the materialization of the referendum. The USL also alerted the international community on the anti-personnel mines in the Sahara Occidental, which constituted an obstacle to the freedom of movement of the people and a permanent danger to the Sahrawi population. For more information visit the Union of Saharawi Lawyers.

Third Women Congress of Western Sahara
February 25-26, 1996
Moved by the sufferings, human rights violantions and inhuman conditions reigning in their country, the National Union of Sahara Women urged individuals world-wide, humanitarian organizations and the international community, particularly the United Nations, to assume their responsibility in the protection of human rights in the occuppied territories of Western Sahara. They highlighted the particularly difficult situation of women by addressing the case of Kaltoum Lounat, a young women condemned to twenty years of prison after participating in a pacific demonstration. For more information visit the National Union of Saharawi Women.

International

International Campaign for the Symbolic Adoption of Disappeared and Detained Saharawis
1990-2003
The Association of Families of Disappeared and Detained Saharawis launched the Campaign for the Symbolic Adoption of Disappeared and Detained Saharawis in 1990. In 1993, the International Bureau for the Respect of Human Rights in Western Sahara joined the initiative. The campaign calls individuals world-wide to adopt a disappeared or detained Saharawi, and send four post cards every two months to well-kown personalities from the international community, urging them to act in favor of them. For contact information visit the International Bureau for the Respect of Human Rights in Western Sahara.

Freedom & Justice for the 526 Saharawi Disappeared
November, 2002
Listing 526 Saharawi Disappeared, the International Bureau for the Respect of Human Rights in Western Sahara appeals the Moroccan government to free all the Saharawi Disappeared, to deliver justice to all those released in 1991, and to complete the list of the disappeared who have died in detention and return their remains and certificate of death to their families. Also, the appeal asks for the support of Spain and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. To read the ful text of the Appeal please click here. For more information visit the International Bureau for the Respect of Human Rights in Western Sahara.

Western Sahara Campaign
War on Want has sent a total of 2,445 postcards sent to the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, with demands for a referendum on Western Sahara. Mr. Straw urged the United Kingdom to take a lead role in the United Nations Security Council in organising the long-delayed referendum on independence for the Saharawi people. The cards also asked the United Kingdom to stop arms sales to Morocco until the dispute is settled. To send a post card to Mr. Jack Straw please click here. For more information visit War on Want.

“Toys Make Children Happy”
December, 2000
War on Want with the support of TV presenter Josie D’arby, Saturday morning children's TV presenters Ant and Dec, BBC's The Tweenies, BBC's Blue Peter and Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, launched a campaign to collect toys for thousands of children living in refugee camps on the edge of the Sahara desert. Toys were collected nation-wide until February 14, 2001 and delivered to the refugee camps in the spring of 2002. For more information visit War on Want.