For more than 20 years, WPP, together with its network partners, has been celebrating women's leadership and participation in peace and disarmament processes on May 24, the International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament. Over the years, May 24 activities have taken place all over the world, ranging from public panel discussions, publications and film screenings to community theatre and peace marches. This year, this day was celebrated with over 17 activities taking place all over the world, organized by WPP members! Pictures and reports are currently coming in, and we will make sure to put these online as to give an impression of the May 24 mobilizing that has taken place this year. Please take a peek at five inspiring May 24 initiatives.
On May 24, 2015, marking the 20th anniversary of International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament, a delegation of 30 international peacemakers was able to cross the 2-mile Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea as a symbolic act of peace. With this nonviolent peace initiative, the women addressed the 70 year long state of war between both countries and promoted a diplomatic solution to the conflict, instead of a military one. Despite the name, the DMZ is one of the most heavily militarized zones in the world, and border crossings have been very rare. Amongst the 30 women was Netsai Mushonga, WPP International Advisory Council member, walking on behalf of WPP in solidarity with women from all over the world living in conflict and war zones.
More information about the Women's Walk for Peace
The Center for Peace Education (CPE) in the Philippines organized a workshop that oriented teachers in Miriam College on various challenges to peace such as prejudice, militarization and war. They also explored pathways to peace such as tolerance, gender equality and disarmament. Teachers discussed ways on how these concepts could be integrated in the teaching-learning process. CPE also put up a billboard poster along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, one of the busiest streets in the area, which conveyed the message "Violence is not a Solution to the World's Challenges". The 3 feet by 5 feet poster will be up the billboard until the end of May.
More information about CPE
On May 24, ABAAD’s Al Dar project organized three internal activities in the three safe houses they operate. The activities were dedicated to explaining UNSCR 1325 and how it can be made tangible for all women, and to women survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) especially. The themes of protection and prevention were highlighted as an immediate output of Al Dar intersecting with UNSCR 1325. With regards to protection, Al Dar offers a safe haven to survivors of traumatic experiences; provides a nourishing and healing environment; assists survivors with legal and psychosocial support and most importantly, works with survivors to realize their potential. In one of the events, attended by 60 women, one woman told her story of struggle as a SGBV survivor in the Syrian war and how she made it to Al Dar; and how that changed her life. After this, the participants did an exercise where they could express their feelings and fears using art and drawings. Finally, there was a session on prevention of SGBV, introducing major themes such as early marriage prevention and the promotion of positive masculinities.
More about ABAAD- Resource Center for Gender Equality
The Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD), along with a group of young women from different regions of the West Bank, conducted a series of activities promoting women's role in politics and their rights, which took place on May 23rd and 24th 2015.
The Women's Political Tour started on May 23rd in Bardalah, a marginalized village in the Jordan Valley. 15 women and 5 men participated in the session led by PCPD, where discussions were held on international conventions pertaining to women's rights, particularly CEDAW. The group of young women then visited Jenin, where two Palestinian women who lived the Nakbah shared their experiences with the 35 participants. After the discussion session, the PCPD team visited a primary school, met with the students and discussed with them the meaning of Palestinian identity and struggle.
The Women's Political Tour then stopped in Tulkarem, where a political symposium was held on the role of women in peace and political reconciliation. Three women with extensive expertise in political and social activism provided the 80 women participants with tips and information on how women can strengthen their role in peacebuilding and reconciliation processes. The youth then visited the al Mintar museum, where the heritage and history of local Palestinian communities is documented.
The following day, the Women's Political Tour group visited Nablus. In the morning, they visited the Old City of Nablus, putting up more than 100 posters promoting International LaHaye Advisory Opinion and CEDAW. While doing so, the youth had the chance to meet with citizens, hold meaningful discussions and exchange points of view. Overall, the reactions to the initiative were supportive, and citizens showed a high level of interest in learning more about the youth's motives to promote such legal instruments and voice their demands on the streets.
More information about PCPD
MIFTAH organized film screenings of the film "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" in 7 districts (Tulkarm, Jenin, Nablus, Jericho and Jordan Valley, east Jerusalem and Hebron), as part of 18 dialogue sessions. The dialogue sessions provided a platform for participants to discuss women's role in peace building strategies, looking at the example of the Liberian women. With the 154 participants, moderators discussed issues such as women’s political participation, the Arms Trade Treaty, and women’s and youth’s role in preventing conflict and peace building. Most of the sessions also touched upon the conflict between Hamas and FATEH. The events were supported by Oxfam Novib.
More about MIFTAH
In celebration of the International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament, Congo Men’s Network (COMEN) organized a reflection workshop in Goma, DRC. The workshop included a screening of the film “Pray the Devil back to Hell”, which tells the story of the successful nonviolent actions Liberian women’s peace movement to achieve peace. Afterwards, taking the example of the movie, participants were asked to relate the story to the local context in the DRC. After the screening of the film, COMEN Program Director explained how women in the DRC could use UNSCR 1325 as a tool for peace. The reflection workshop was well received and COMEN will be conducting more of them in the future, also in rural areas.
Follow COMEN on Facebook
On the occasion of the celebration of the International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament, a visit was made by the LSC team to the women’s Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps in Goma. The main objective of the activity was to give the women an opportunity to share their stories, especially with regards to their security situation in the camp. The facilitator spoke with the women about peace and reconciliation and the importance of women's involvement. In addition, strategies were developed to involve the women in the process of peace and security in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The women indicated they would like to receive more training on the legal instruments available to protect their rights.
More information about LSC
ANTAR organized a day-long workshop in celebration of the International Women's Day for Peace & Disarmament, on “Ending Violence & Women Empowerment” with the support of the Women Peacemakers Program.
The workshop was held at ANTAR Lemua Office in Feni District, Bangladesh, with teachers, NGO representatives and medical assistants attending the meeting. The workshop discussions addressed issues related to peace, socio-economic development, health, nutrition and education. ANTAR provided local transportation and meals for the participants, with more than 40 women attending the meeting.
ANTAR also organized a Medical Camp in the locality of Nababpur Union under Feni District, with 110 women and men receiving medical support.
More information about ANTAR
On May 24, the 1325 Alliance (Action Group for the Iraqi National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR), in cooperation with EFI-IFE Organization and through the support of Hivos, had a special meeting in the Iraqi parliament highlighting the importance of UNSCR 1325. The meeting was chaired by the Iraqi speaker of parliament, His Excellency Dr. Saleem Al-Juboori. Iraq is the first country in the MENA region to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of UNSCR 1325. In the meeting, civil society stressed the importance of creating effective implementation mechanisms for the Iraqi NAP, in light of the challenges Iraq currently faces Iraq and the state of women’s rights in the country.
Read Suzan Aref’s column on the Iraqi NAP
Yuva, an organization based in Baku, Azerbaijan, organized a public discussion on May 24 specifically for girls and youth in their girls center. 30 girls and women participated. After the discussion, Yuva asked participants, and partners of the organization, to write a key message about women and peace on a piece of paper and take a 'selfie' with the piece of paper, and publish it on social media.
On May 23, in celebration of the International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament the following day, NGO Skills (Croatia) and Voice of Women (Bosnia -Herzegovina) organized a public debate. The debate, named "Let our voices be heard" took place at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bihac. Shura Dumanić and Elvedin Sedić were key speakers at the event. They spoke about the important role that women have to play in resolving conflict and the process of building a stable and sustainable peace.
The Ecumenical Women's Initiative (EWI) organized a prayer event in Zagreb, Croatia in celebration of the International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament. The Croatian Section of the Ecumenical Society of Women in Theological Research was inspired by the WPP Call for Participation, disseminated through the EWI network, and sister Milka Zecevic-Tadic prepared a prayer for May 24. The event started at noon on May 24th. They said a prayer especially written for the occasion, aiming at connecting with all the peace activists and victims of war all over the world. A press release and part of the prayer was released via the EWI network and on www.dsng.hr.
Read the prayer (in Croatian only)
On May 24, World Integrity Center (WIC) India organized a debate on the role of culture in Gender Based Violence. The panelists included civil society members, students, and academics. After the panel discussion, an active brainstorming session with the audience took place. Around 110 people attended the event.
These are just a few examples of the many inspiring actions that civil society organizations all over the world have organized in the name of the 2015 International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament.
Everybody can join this celebration. We kindly invite you to join us in this worldwide celebration next year by organizing your own event/action/initiative to raise awareness on women’s dedication and contributions to building cultures of peace!
12 Dec '17 Today, we are pleased to share with you the Conference Report “Financial Inclusion for Freedom and Security” by the Women Peacemakers Program, Duke Law International Human Rights Clinic, Human Security Collective, Transnational Institute, the Charity & Security Network, in cooperation with the Knowledge Platform Security and Rule of Law.
7 Dec '17 Today, on the 13th day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, we bring you the sad news that from 15 December onwards, the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) will have to close its doors. We would like to ask for your time to read what has driven us to make this decision.
7 Nov '17 On Thursday, 26 October 2017, a side event entitled, “Pulling the Rug from Under Our Feet: What is the UNSCR 1325 Without Civil Society Freedoms?” was hosted on the margins of the 17th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. The event was hosted by the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) and the Dutch Mission, in collaboration with Duke Law’s International Human Rights Clinic, Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development, Arab Women Organisation of Jordan, NOVACT, Free Sight Association, Iraqi Al-Amal Association, Women Empowerment Organisation, NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. This article briefly looks at the main issues discussed during the event.
