WPP New Year's Letter

13 Jan '15

Dear friends,

We wish you all a happy new year from the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) office in The Hague! We would like to take this moment to reflect on 2014, and share what is ahead for us during 2015.

Looking at the peace and security situation in the world, 2014 was marked by the intensification and sometimes return of conflicts, as well as the emergence of new violent crises. We have seen alarming examples of the shrinking space for human rights defenders and peace activists, especially for women activists. The assassinations and attacks on women activists in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are a testimony to the many challenges women activists have to face all over the world. During 2014, we have been witnessing this first-hand, when WPP partner Leyla Yunus from Azerbaijan got arrested and detained, facing inhumane treatment in prison up to this day.

All these dynamics remind us that working for gender-sensitive nonviolence is more urgent than ever - especially in times when spaces for alternative discourse are increasingly under attack - and we are committed to do so for the year ahead.

To conclude 2014, we would like to share some of the highlights of this year:

In line with our work on integrating a gender perspective in faith-based peacebuilding, we organized the panel discussion “Involving Religious Leaders in Women’s Rights Work: Innovative Practices and Challenges from the Field” at the 58^th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. Together with the Dutch Minister Lilianne Ploumen, Cordaid, ABAAD - Resource Center for Gender Equality, City College of New York and the Ecumenical Women’s Initiative, the panel looked at the crucial role progressive religious leaders can play in advancing the gender equality and peace agenda, sharing inspiring examples from the field.
With 10 events taking place all over the world - including trainings, movie screenings and online discussions organized by WPP partners - the annual celebration of the International Women’s Day for Peace & Disarmament – May 24 – raised awareness about women’s crucial role in building peaceful societies. On the same day, WPP launched its online gender & militarism campaign, to raise critical awareness about the multi-layered connections between gender and militarism.
Late May, we organized, together with our partner ABAAD, a MENA Consultation Meeting in Jordan. With over 20 representatives of civil society organizations, coming from 10 different countries in the region, the meeting facilitated joint strategizing on advancing the Women, Peace & Security (WPS) agenda in the MENA region. Recommendations resulting from the Consultation were shared through the joint statement “Women and Men Working as Partners for Peace in the Middle East”.
WPP’s 6-weeks Gender and Militarism campaign culminated in the organizing of the WPP Global Consultation “Gender & Militarism: Analyzing the Links to Strategize for Peace”. During July 2-4, 70 activists and academics from all over the world came together in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss and analyze the multiple links between gender & militarism in the framework of broadening the current Women, Peace and Security agenda and strengthening its transformative components (see also the WPP Policy Brief). On the last day of the Global Consultation, we officially launched our annual May 24 Pack on Gender & Militarism, which comprises 23 articles written by leading academics, pioneering women peace activists and civil society representatives from around the world.
During October 2014, WPP joined the Women, Peace & Security community in New York, in the framework of assessing the implementation of the WPS agenda 14 years onwards, as well as providing input to the Global Study process in view of the 2015 High-level Review. WPP contributed to the discussion by organizing the public panel discussion “Amplifying the Voices of Women in the MENA Region: Obstacles and Opportunities for UNSCR 1325 Implementation” together with WILPF, the Post 2015 Women’s Coalition, ABAAD and the Women’s Empowerment Organization. Hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the UN in New York, the panel discussion provided a review of the impact of UNSCR 1325 in the MENA region and the lessons we can draw from this region in relation to global WPS processes.
Beginning November, the WPP Asia Network gathered in New Delhi for a 2-day WPP Asia Network Meeting. The meeting resulted in the formulation of a 2015 Activity Plan for the regional network, based on joint reflection, sharing and strategizing on advancing the Gender-Sensitive Active Nonviolence agenda in Asia. Adjacent to the meeting, WPP and WPP partners actively participated in the MenEngage Symposium “Men & Boys for Gender Justice”, sharing its work around masculinities and peacebuilding during the Symposium.
In regards to international lobby and advocacy, we continued calling for the integration of a holistic gender analysis in peace and security issues and the investment in nonviolent conflict resolution alternatives. Through our participation in the Post 2015 Women’s Coalition, we lobbied and advocated for the integration gender, peace and security in the Post 2015 Development Agenda. We gave input to several policy briefs, statements and letters feeding into the Post 2015 discussions.
Next to our international advocacy work on UNSCR 1325, we contributed to awareness raising on and advocacy for women’s role in peacebuilding within the Netherlands. WPP contributed to several policy briefs and national civil society initiatives. For instance, we were involved in the annual civil society monitoring of Dutch UNSCR 1325 policy, as part of the worldwide GNWP monitoring initiative. On the occasion of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, we organized the panel discussion “Women, Peace & Security – An Insider Story”. Together with co-organizers Vluchtelingen Organisaties Nederland and Justice and Peace, we looked at the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in relation to protection programs for women human rights and peace activists, as well as Dutch policy in relation to female refugees, who are seeking refuge from the violence and armed conflict in their countries. Next to this public event, WPP published a 16 Days Teachin on Twitter about Gender & Militarism and assisted in coordinating 16 Days activities of WPP partners in Asia.
Advocating for the release of Leyla Yunus, a WPP network member, and her husband Arif, both detained by the Azerbaijani government, has been a top priority for WPP. Nominating her for the Dutch Human Rights Tulip, the European Sakharov Prize and supporting her nomination for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize have been ways to raise awareness about her inhumane situation. In 2015 we will keep on raising our voices for Leyla’s release and keep you up-to-date about her situation.
In 2014, we continued expanding our communication via our website and social media channels. With the launch of our new website in the beginning of 2014, we were able to feature news, inspiring columns and updates about developments in the WPS field. These updates were also shared via Twitter and Facebook. We used social media in several instances for campaigning, such as for the Gender & Militarism Campaign and 16 Days Campaign. Over 2014, our outreach through social media has doubled in numbers of people reached.

You can find more information on our work on the news section of our website. We will also be publishing our annual report at the beginning of next year.

Looking ahead, 2015 will be an important year to further the cause of gender-sensitive peacebuilding. Many international reviews will be on the agenda, such as the Global Study and High level Review of UNSCR 1325, the 20^th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action and the finalizing of the Post 2015 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As for WPP, here is a peek at some of our activities planned for 2015:

In light of the Global Review on UNSCR 1325, we will be involved in national and international advocacy trajectories for a transformative WPS agenda, by providing our input to lobby documents and strategies, as well as actively organizing public events. For example, during February, WPP will facilitate two sessions on integrating a masculinities perspective in UNSCR 1325 implementation during the expert symposium “Women: Powerful agents for peace and security”, organized by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
We will attend the 59^th meeting of the CSW in New York, taking place at the beginning of March. We have several panel discussions planned, amongst others one on UNSCR 1325 and militarism. Keep an eye on our social media and website for more details!
With the 15th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 on the agenda in 2015, WPP will cooperate with GPPAC and Cordaid in an extensive research on the impact of UNSCR 1325 in regards to conflict prevention and nonviolent conflict resolution.
In the spring of 2015, ABAAD and WPP will start the second MENA Training of Trainers Cycle, building on the inputs of the Regional Consultation held in 2014.
On May 24, we will engage in a worldwide celebration of the International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament, with a variety of events organized by WPP Partners across the globe. You are welcome to join this celebration!
We will continue our efforts to raise awareness on the multi-layered linkages between gender & militarism. Building on our successful Global Consultation on Gender & Militarism in 2014, WPP will team up with partners in Asia to organize a regional conference on this topic, to take place in the fall of 2015.

As always, updates of our work can be found on our website and will be published in the Cross the Lines and on WPP’s Facebook and Twitter.

We look forward to another dynamic year, fueled by the energy, inspiration, and solidarity coming from the many activists and organizations we work with. Together, we continue to work for a gender-just and peaceful world in 2015.

We wish you an inspiring 2015!

The WPP Team

Men women as partners

News

Conference Report: "Financial Inclusion for Freedom and Security"

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.

After 20 years, WPP closes its doors

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.

Event Summary: Pulling the Rug from Under Civil Society’s Feet - We Must Create Our Own Rugs!

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.