INTERNATIONAL: The Path to Peace, Find Your Voice

“My sisters my daughters my friends, find your voice.” That was the message from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as she received her Nobel Peace Prize this weekend.

This message could not be more relevant to the 139 rural women and 24 young women who have participated in FemLINKPACIFIC's 16 days of community radio campaign from November 25 – December 10 2011. Each of the 139 women brought their personal stories, the stories of their families, their community group and clubs.

For the Generation Next team of producers and broadcasters, the journey to the annual 16days of Community Radio Campaign began during FemLINKPACIFIC's annual September Programme Partners meeting when we discussed production strategies and plans for our 3 broadcast sites.

Collaboration was key to the community radio campaign. Learning as they went along to organize programmes, planning and regulatory arrangements, rosters and budgets for the broadcast team, rosters and refreshments for the rural participants, and as Lucille reflected from Labasa, “It was just as if we started the 16 days of activism yesterday and now it's already over!”

Like the Nakelo Assemblies of God Women Ministry (NAOGM) who attended the final Women Peace and Human Security dialogue convened in Nausori, there were many women who experienced the opportunity to share their stories and be heard through the women's community radio station.

Women have spoken of their life and human security issues. They have linked together across the airwaves because the barriers for their empowerment and development are the same. In one voice, they have called for action, through services and programmes which will address the physical, emotional and institutional violence they experience in their daily lives, so that people can be informed, empowered to be involved in advocating for a safe and peaceful environment to live in without fear.

The women's stories have been broadcast in a 10 kilometre radius, and have already made an impact on the young broadcasters, as Varanisese Annette Tinai explains: “I would like to say that I have learnt so much from the last two weeks. I would describe it as empowering, informative and challenging. I then realize the different issues women and young women go through every day. One issue that captured my attention was the Panel discussion during the celebrations of Rural Women's day and World food day by Catholic Women's League in Lami. The group discussed about the effects of climate change to the Mangroves and their fishing area. Mangroves are a very important resource because they provide homes and food for marine life, protect the coastline from storms and erosion and provide materials in their communities. The discussion was more on food security and economic security. The result of the rise in food cost where women rely on the Mangroves swaps to feed their family. One of the ladies shared that fishing and collecting sea shells from the mangroves is her main source of income. She mentioned that in previous years ago she would go out fishing and filled the whole sack with fish but now it's different. They have noticed the decline in the number of fish available.”

The 16days community radio campaign maybe over, but these women and young women will continue to be an important part of our rural community media network in 2012, in our campaign to strengthen women's participation in peace and security. After all as Lidia Waiqalicaki of the Catholic Women's League in Nausori reminded us as she quoted Mahatma Gandhi, “there is no path to peace. Peace is the path”.

Our next steps – continuing to work with women and young women to find and use their voice – that is after all one of the reasons for FemTALK 89.2FM