Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
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UNSC RESOLUTION 1325 WOMEN, WAR AND UNITED NATIONS NEWS RESOURCES ORGANIZATIONS INITIATIVES
Fair Use Notice:
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SCR 1325 has played a critical role
in heightening global awareness on the importance of gender perspectives
in all areas of peace and security. As part of the UN’s multilateral
framework for the promotion of peace and women’s rights, SCR
1325 complements other international and national instruments that
give women and peace activists a wide range of tools to advance
their work. This edition of the newsletter highlights many exciting
ways in which 1325 can or has been used to move towards the goal
of a peaceful and just world. Women and women’s organizations have long played a crucial role in promoting global disarmament. The report on WILPF’s initiatives in this area highlights the importance of applying gender perspectives to disarmament and nonproliferation, as evidenced by the recognition of SCR 1325 in a recently released report on Weapons of Mass Destruction. Also highlighted in this edition
is a new partnership of women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, and their
efforts to reduce current tensions between the US and Iran. These
and other women’s initiatives illustrate once more the importance
of including women’s voices and perspectives in the search
for non-violent solutions to global crises. In all cases the provisions
of SCR 1325 can bolster demands for women’s participation
in conflict resolution and peace processes. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • As always we welcome your contributions to the newsletter’s content. The newsletter is sent out at the end of each month. We will feature the deadline for submissions for the next edition in each newsletter. Contributions for the July edition should be sent to enewssubmissions@peacewomen.org by Thursday 20 July 2006. BAHRAIN'S
FIRST WOMAN DIPLOMAT TO LEAD UN ASSEMBLY pacific
REGION: GENDER ISSUES IN PEACE AND SECURITY POLICY THIRTY-TWO
WOMEN AMONG KUWAIT ELECTION CANDIDATES eu:
WOMEN IN PEACE BUILDING (DE KEYSER REPORT) CENTRAL
AMERICA TO PROMOTE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN LOCAL POLITICS YEMEN:
IN THE RUN-UP TO ELECTIONS , WOMEN CAMPAIGN FOR CANDIDATURE NIGERIA:
WOMEN GROUPS MEET ON ARMS PROLIFERATION TUTU
REGRETS ZUMA'S TRIAL LEGACY OSCE
CENTRE SUPPORTS MEETING ON CRISIS CENTRES IN TAJIKISTAN FOR WOMEN
VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE A
DIFFERENT SHADE OF RED IN NEPAL • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • For
more country-specific women, peace and security news, CLICK
HERE
The 35th session of the Committee of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW) was held between May 15 and June 2 2006. Eight countries presented their state party reports to the CEDAW Committee, outlining steps taken and progress made in eliminating discrimination against women and achieving gender equality. Major themes running through the country reports and the committee’s deliberations included the impact of different forms of violence against women, the low levels of women in decision making positions and the absence of strong political, legal and administrative mechanisms to guarantee women’s equality in various sectors of life. In examining the State report of Bosnia and Herzegovina the committee expressed concern at the absence of support mechanisms for victims of sexual violence during the nation’s conflict in the 1990s and recommended the formal recognition of rape survivors as victims of war for purposes of financial and medical assistance. The Bosnian delegation admitted the existence of gaps in the state’s response to gender-based violence but noted steps underway to develop a comprehensive Gender Action Plan that would among other things, ensure assistance to victims of sexual violence and incorporate provisions of CEDAW and Security Council Resolution 1325 on women peace and security. Reviewing the Guatemalan report, the committee pressed the delegation on the government’s inadequate response to the large number of cases of murdered women, its seeming inability to protect women from violence and the apparent impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of this violence. The Committee called on the Guatemalan government to exhibit political will and determination to end the alarming increase in violence and killing of women. St Lucia’s submission of its CEDAW report was based on a request of the Committee in accordance with its incremental measures for encouraging States with long overdue reports to submit them. Concerns highlighted by the committee with regard to St. Lucia’s report included the high rates of sexual exploitation of women and girls and the low levels of women’s participation in governance. The Cyprus state party report mentioned the latest initiatives by the UN Secretary-general for a peaceful settlement of the Cyprus question and highlighted the role of women in creating a culture of peace on the Island. In this regard the Committee recommended that the Cypriot Government introduce special measures to ensure an appropriate number of women in all peace talks and negotiations. Other state reports examined during the Committee’s 35th session were those of Malaysia, Malawi, Poland and Turkmenistan. Non-governmental Organizations from the 8 reporting countries presented shadow reports during the session, providing insight into the status of government efforts to promote and protect women’s rights. Speaking at the end of the session, the chairperson of the Committee observed that NGOs had made a significant contribution to the work of the Committee, and applauded their continuing and sustained advocacy for the implementation of the Convention in their respective countries. For more information
and documentation on the CEDAW session visit
Open Letter
from WILPF and other NGOs on Proposal to move CEDAW to Geneva To: Copy: The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the organizations listed below support the proposal of the High Commissioner on Human Rights to bring CEDAW to Geneva, as we believe that the transfer would have a positive impact on women's rights. We congratulate the High Commissioner for prioritizing the centrality of women’s rights to human rights. However we would like to offer some cautionary suggestions on the motives and modalities of this transfer. We appreciate CEDAW’s remarkable achievements working with DAW, but note that the current geographic separation between CEDAW committee sessions and the rest of the treaty bodies could result in the marginalization of gender issues within the human rights arena. This is the reason why we believe that bringing CEDAW closer to the other human rights bodies would contribute towards the goal of ensuring that women’s rights are viewed as central to human rights. What is more, centralizing the physical location of treaty bodies would consolidate them and allow the OHCHR to strengthen its services to them, benefiting the human rights machinery as a whole. We expect that this move will help harmonize and streamline treaty body reporting, ensuring coherence and common jurisprudence. Furthermore, we believe that the current gender mainstreaming project within treaty bodies could only be strengthened by having a body focused on gender issues such as CEDAW in Geneva. This would facilitate the cross-fertilization of gender insights among treaty bodies and invite CEDAW to engage with UN agencies working on social and economic rights. And finally, NGOs participating in the Committee would benefit from being close to the Human Rights machinery, as they would have access to other conferences, discussions on human rights topics that often happen in Geneva. This could also facilitate dialogue with other bodies, human rights NGOs and organizations working in related fields. On a more practical note, it would be easier for people of all nationalities to be granted visas to participate in the Committee in Geneva. Having said that, we encourage the OHCHR to bear the following in mind when making their decision: Our concern is in the fact that CEDAW’s relocation might be a first step towards a possible unified treaty body and we believe that this carries the danger of undermining CEDAW and its specificity on women’s rights. We would like to emphasize that any steps towards harmonizing the work of treaty bodies must be done without marginalizing women’s rights, or losing the expertise and positive gender-specific achievements of the Committee. Moreover, we believe that transferring CEDAW must be seen within a wider context as a first step towards bringing gender to the center of the OHCHR. In addition, we encourage the OHCHR to consult with the members of CEDAW about the move and take their concerns into consideration in the decision making process. We stress that, should CEDAW be relocated in Geneva, the OHCHR ought to provide appropriate support structure and technical capacity at the same standards as that currently enjoyed by CEDAW in New York. Overall, we support the proposal to bring CEDAW to Geneva to have women's rights considered under all human rights structures, providing that this transfer does not jeopardize expertise and positive achievements in women's rights.
The Women’s International League for
Peace and Freedom, and SCR 1325 and
CEDAW: Combating gender-based discrimination and violence in Bosnia
and Herzegovina The state report of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW) at its 36th session raises serious problems concerning women, peace, and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This article highlights the specific ways SCR 1325 can support and reinforce Bosnia and Herzegovina’s commitment to the requirements of CEDAW. It addresses three issues raised in the 2006 Country Report of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented to CEDAW, which are relevant to SCR1325, Participation in Public Life, Female Refugees and Displaced Persons, and Violence Against Women. It concludes with a section on how 1325 is currently being used as a tool to promote women’s equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Introduction The Bosnia and Herzegovina government has taken a number of steps to comply with CEDAW. It created an Agency for Gender Equality, as well as regional and municipal commissions, developed a new requirement for gender disaggregated data, and made attempts at gender mainstreaming. However, there is little evidence that such reforms have had an impact on the day to day reality of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, while there has been some progressive legislation, such as the 2003 Gender Equality Law, the government has failed to update laws at all levels to recognize reforms in national and international law. This article sets out three areas in which the provisions of SCR 1325 speak to the needs of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina as highlighted in the country’s 2006 CEDAW state party report. Research and Analysis by Sophie Wittenberg, PeaceWomen Project Intern For the full article please visit: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • For further resources on Bosnia & Herzegovina
please visit: For further news on Bosnia & Herzegovina please
visit: For a list of organizations working on women,
peace and security issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina please visit: Nobel Women's Initiative: Laureates Demand a Peaceful Solution to Iran-U.S. Conflict The Nobel Women's Initiative is a new project
of women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, including Jody Williams
(US, 1997), Shirin Ebadi (Iran, 2003), Betty Williams (Ireland,
1976), Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Guatemala, 1992) and Wangari Maathai
(Kenya, 2004). These five women -- representing North and South
America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa -- have decided to
bring together their extraordinary experiences in a united effort
for peace with justice and equality. Visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/campaigns/global/nobel_statement.htm for this statement. Between 6-8 June, 2006 Ms. Williams and Ms. Ebadi led a delegation of American and Iranian civil society representatives to Vienna for meetings with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors, prior to the Board’s meeting the following week. The delegation met with representatives of various governments on the Board including Australia, Austria (current President of the European Union), Egypt (Vice Chair of the Board), Canada, France, Germany, The Russian Federation, South Africa, the United Kingdom. For the final statement issued after this visit: For news on the delegation's visit to Vienna:
For more information on the Nobel Women's initiative visit http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Gender and Disarmament: WILPF's Work for Disarmament: "In particular, women's
organizations have often played a vital role--from the Hague
peace conferences of the 19th century to the present time.
The role of women in the maintenance and promotion of peace and
security was recognized by the Security Council in Resolution
1325 (2000). Women have rightly observed that armament policies
and the use of armed force have often been influenced by misguided
ideas about masculinity and strength. An understanding of and
emancipation from this traditional perspective might help to remove
some of the hurdles on the road to disarmament and nonproliferation." Complete, transparent, and democratic disarmament
has been one of the goals of WILPF since it's inception in 1915.
WILPF has played an integral role in the Special Sessions on Disarmament,
in the Non Proliferation Treaty conferences, and in the Conference
on Disarmament. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • For more women, peace and security initiatives – in country, regional, global and international, visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/campaigns/global/index.html
Call for nominations: Advocacy on Women, Peace and Security at UN Headquarters October 2006 will mark the sixth year anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (SCR 1325) on women, peace and security. Over the past six years, women and gender have become an increasing focus for the peace and security work of the Security Council, other UN bodies and Member States. The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security is calling for nominations of women peace-builders who have been actively working on SCR 1325 and related women, peace and security issues, in areas affected by violent conflict, to participate in our 2006 Advocacy Program at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The objective of the Advocacy Program is to ensure that women’s experiences in, and concerns in relation to, conflict affected areas are brought to and heard at UN Headquarters. Advocates will develop concrete recommendations on issues of women, peace and security for the work of the Security Council, UN Agencies, Member States and civil society. These recommendations will be communicated to audiences at strategic events, panels, and meetings at UN Headquarters. The Advocacy Programs will occur during October (with some possible activities in July or August) and will run for 10-12 days. Selected participants will be provided with travel, accommodation and a per diem stipend for the duration of the program. Criteria for Candidates • Involved in work relating to women, peace and security in areas of violent conflict, post-conflict or areas where there is escalating violence and/or militarization. • Have used SCR 1325 or its provisions in work at the local, national or regional levels. • Experience working with local/grassroots groups, including women’s organizations. • Experience in public speaking, advocacy and fluency in at least one of the UN languages. • Available to spend 10-12 days at the end of October in New York for the program. We welcome nominations for this important advocacy program at UN Headquarters. Please submit a resume and letter of interest (e-mail or fax preferred) by 15 July to: NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security
Rebecca Chiarelli, Program Assistant
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• • • • • • • Launch Of Joint UN–Civil
Society Partnership Against Sexual Violence In Conflict And Crisis
Settings United Nations, New York — United Nations organizations and civil society groups today announced a Joint Partnership to tackle sexual violence in conflict and crisis situations around the world. This Joint Partnership builds on existing initiatives and will address not only the threat that sexual violence poses to life and livelihood of survivors, but also the longer-term impact on community and national development. Focusing on country-level efforts to combat sexual violence, the partnership will reach out to military and security communities to engage them, work to strengthen prevention through rule-of-law and access to justice, and expand services for survivors in the areas of health, psycho-social support and rebuilding dignity and livelihoods. The partnership will also develop a comprehensive evidence base for action through violence monitoring and tracking systems and dissemination of data analyses. The need for stronger collaborative efforts to deal with gender- based violence is extremely urgent, UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer said, speaking at the launch of the partnership at the Swedish permanent mission in Geneva. Ceasefires are violated, and countries can slip back into violence — requiring constant monitoring. The massive and growing rates of sexual violence in conflict and crisis situations are a clear emergency, she said, and yet not enough is being done — to prevent violence, assist survivors, or even find out exactly how many women and children are affected. The Joint Partnership will build on and strengthen existing collaboration within the United Nations on the issue, including guidelines developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the primary mechanism for inter-agency coordination of humanitarian assistance, that brings UN and non-UN humanitarian partners together, as well as the lessons and experience derived from the UN Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence against Women, which UNIFEM manages. It will be the first initiative to combat gender-based violence that includes joint UN and civil society governing structures and resource mobilization processes. This is intended to significantly enhance and deepen partnerships, linkages and resources at local, national, regional and global levels to eliminate violence and provide much-needed assistance to those threatened by such violence. For more information on violence against women in conflict, please visit the UNIFEM Women, War, Peace Portal: http://www.womenwarpeace.org/issues/violence/violence.htm or http://www.unifem.org. • •
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• • • • • • • World
Peace Forum 2006 For more information on the forum and registration requirements, please visit: http://www.worldpeaceforum.ca/ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The International
Symposium on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Beyond Sponsored by the Government of Belgium and the European Commission, and convened by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, the three-day meeting will raise awareness among international actors and the public about the enormous impact of such war-related violence by highlighting the social, cultural and development costs of sexual violence and the benefits of prevention and care. For more information on this event,
please visit: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Panel
during the Human Rights Council: Women's Human Rights at a Cross
Roads Gender
and Conflict Transformation Online Learning Course Please visit the demonstration
site at www.netuni.nl/demos/genderconflict Women,
Mobility and Conflict For further information on this
event, please visit: http://www.powconference.org.uk/ International
Women's Peace Conference
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • For the complete calendar, CLICK HERE. The
PeaceWomen is a project of the Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).
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