This week, voters are flooding the polls in Sudan to vote on a referendum to allow the South to secede and form its own, independent country. Despite concerns of violence and unrest, the vote has been largely peaceful and is expected to yield a victory for the independence movement. However, despite the success so far, not enough has been to done to involve women in the peace-building process.

In a recent interview with Zainab Salbi, Founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a grassroots humanitarian and development organization helping women survivors of wars rebuild their lives, we discussed the inspiration behind the founding, the necessity to galvanize a global women's movement, toleration and the lack of public outrage, and much more.

The full interview can be found below.

“Women Have Been The Most Affected By Conflict”
This indicates that even the home is not a safe place for women. Social relations of power place women in a subordinate position, giving many women few rights in the family, community and society in general.

There is need for government to prioritise health issues concerning safe motherhood if Zimbabwe is to realise the goal to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Safe Motherhood Initiative, launched by the World Health Organisation and other international agencies in 1987, agreed that care during childbirth from an attendant with midwifery skills was the single most effective way to reduce maternal deaths.

The success of the revolution in Nepal has demonstrated that liberation from oppression is possible, and as that revolution continues to break down feudal oppression, foreign economic domination, and domestic reaction, the Nepalese revolution has marked a significant point in the liberation of women.

OPEN LETTER TO MEMBER STATES OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL Re: Res 1960

7 January 2011

Subject: UNSCR 1960 and the need for focus on full implementation of UNSCR 1325

Excellency,

Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams brings tough love to the dream of world peace, with her razor-sharp take on what "peace" really means, and a set of profound stories that zero in on the creative struggle -- and sacrifice -- of those who work for it.

No More Tears: Tell the Profiteers at CSI to Stop Selling Tear Gas to Israel

On Thursday women's and civic groups from across Israel and Palestine flooded the streets to mourn Jawaher Abu Rahma, an activist who was participating in a weekly demonstration against Israel's land confiscations and separation wall when she was hit with tear gas fumes, collapsed, and died on New Years' Eve.

10 years ago, Resolution 1325 was signed at the UN, recognising the devastating affects of conflict on women and making women's involvement in peace-building processes from their earliest stage an absolute imperative. Despite this, not enough has been done to involve women in the politics of post-conflict resolution.