The 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58) is on the brink of beginning, this time focusing on the broad theme “Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls“. The discussions at the CSW58 will go beyond merely reflecting on the status of the MDGs; it is also about the successor of the MDGs – the Post 2015 agenda - which will be the topic of many of the meetings during the upcoming two weeks.
The Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) stands for a transformative Post 2015 agenda, firmly based on human and women’s rights. Given the gendered nature of violence and armed conflict, this agenda has to connect women’s leadership and rights to peace and security issues. For WPP, this means investing in a transformative peace and security paradigm, which calls attention to the links between gender and militarism, and underlines the importance of human security and investing in alternative conflict resolution models.
WPP has been voicing its perspectives on the Post 2015 Agenda by joining the lobby efforts of Dutch civil society, as well as by attending the Feminist Strategy Meeting held in Tarrytown, New York, last February. The latter culminated in the joint formulation of the Feminist Declaration, which includes a strong focus on peace and security. Please find here the Feminist Declaration for Post 2015, as well as other important statements signed and disseminated such as Human Rights for All Post 2015 and Feminist Reflections: UN’s High Level Panel Report on Post 2015 Development Agenda.
Over the last couple of years, WPP has noted that religion plays an important role in women’s rights work and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. During the WPP consultations on Religion, Peace and Gender, held during 2010 and 2013, participants identified religion both as an obstacle as well as a potential ally in terms of advancing women’s rights. Building upon these insights, WPP will be organizing a panel discussion during the CSW on “Involving Religious Leaders in Women’s Rights Work: Innovative Practices and Challenges from the Field”. WPP Partners City College of New York (USA), Ecumenical Women’s Initiative (Croatia), ABAAD Resource Centre for Gender Equality (Lebanon) and Cordaid (the Netherlands), will be elaborating on challenges posed by religious fundamentalism, matching these with innovative approaches developed in their work to address its manifestations. Next to the role of religion in women’s rights work, we strive to keep on connecting the peace & security agenda with the women’s rights agenda in relation to the Post 2015 framework.
During the CSW, we will meet with women’s organizations that are actively involved in connecting these two agendas. We will share our insights on connecting gender to peace & security issues, and will discuss how we can build together upon our previous lobby and advocacy activities.
Finally, we find it important that the Post 2015 agenda moves beyond the notion that gender equality is mainly a women’s issue; both women and men have a stake and an active role to play in in achieving gender equality. WPP’s track record of building partnerships between women and men for gender-sensitive peacebuilding provides us with practical insights for the Post 2015 agenda. At this CSW, WPP will be talking with men’s and women’s groups to reflect on how men can be included as partners for gender equality in the Post 2015 agenda and beyond, based on a critical analysis of patriarchy, hegemonic masculinities and support for women’s leadership.
Keep an eye on the WPP website, Facebook and Twitter for updates on the CSW58 and WPP’s activities. Feel free to share your perspectives on the CSW58 and Post 2015 process with us via Facebook, so we can take this along in our activities!
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.
