Your Excellency Secretary General of the Arab League Mr. Nabil El Arabi,
Your Majesties and Excellencies Kings and Presidents of Member States,
Distinguished Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other participants in the Sharm El Sheikh meeting in Egypt,
We the undersigned, members of Civil Society Organizations from different Arab countries (Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Egypt) currently gathering in Cyprus, Nicosia for a meeting on Gender-Sensitive Active Nonviolence, condemn the ongoing military strikes on Yemen, and urge you all to:
1- Immediately stop "Operation Decisive Storm" targeting Yemen with air raids. For three consecutive days and nights, war aircrafts have been targeting Sanaa the capital, and other Yemeni cities, including residential areas, with rockets and missiles.
2- Ensure the return of all parties to the negotiation table to agree on a peaceful political solution, with a meaningful participation of women, and to abide by the Outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and UNSC's resolutions regarding the Yemeni transitional period.
3- Prioritize the safety of the Yemeni people, protect their lives, property, and their social fabric, and take into account the deteriorating humanitarian situation for civilians. It is expected that the humanitarian crisis will only get worse as the attacks continue.
4- Condemn the killings of civilians as violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law, and seek accountability, including investigations, prosecution and reparation, for all crimes.
5- Engage with the UN and the international community to ensure an urgent access to gender-sensitive humanitarian aid and services.
Nicosia, Cyprus, March 28, 2015
This statement was developed during the Regional Training of Trainers session for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, organized by the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) and ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality, which brought together 16 representatives from civil society organizations from the MENA region.
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.
