Summary: Workshop on Women, War and Peace

Key issues discussed in this session included the enforcement of international laws to protect women and girls from violence during conflict; the significance and need for further implementation and information-raising on Security Council Resolution 1325 as a tool to implement women’s participation in peace processes. The session also touched upon the importance of women’s work in promoting disarmament. 

Need of women to get heard
Ms. Cora Weiss of the International Peace Bureau (IPU) began with the recent news of Nigerian women who had closed down the American oil company Chevron in a ten- day protest to demand better social services and jobs. Ms. Weiss pointed out, the women, old and young, used a traditional, powerful and peaceful approach. Their victory highlights one of the central points of this session, which is that women need to be involved in the peace process. In Ms. Weiss’ words, ‘one does not count, unless one is at the table’.

Ms. Krishna Patel of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, reviewed critical issues, examples and challenges linked to the participation of women as decision and policy makers in peace processes. She also touched upon a number of issues related to violence against women, both in times of war and peace; progress made versus lack of recognition of violence against women at the international level and/or implementation of international treaties at the country level.

Ms. Charlotte Lindsay of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC), presented work done by her organization. Her presentation included two 3-minute documentary clips about women in Afghanistan and Bosnia Herzegovina, which are part of a series of 11 clips. She announced that the ICRC will be publishing a study on women facing war. The study was started in 1998 in response to need, examining how women were affected by conflict. It also included an analysis of the extent to which international humanitarian, human rights and refugee laws meet the needs of women. Ms. Lindsay outlined some of the main conclusions reached via the study: 

• Women are not solely victims or vulnerable;
• Women experience armed conflicts in a multitude of ways; 
• International humanitarian, human rights and refugee laws afford protection according to the needs of women in situations of armed conflict; 
• Sexual violence is unacceptable but not inevitable.

According to Ms. Lindsay, the study also concludes that a more comprehensive response to sexual violence is needed and that it is crucial to involve women in all peace-keeping programmes and activities. As far as the work of the ICRC is concerned, the study outlined that there is a need to:

• Focus on promoting existing laws affording protection of women, and 
• Create a clear plan of action to implement findings. (For more information, see www.icrc.org)

School for Peace
A round table discussion followed with three presenters documenting experiences of women in times of conflict.

Ms. Nava Sonnenschein of Neve Shalom and Wahat-el-Salaam Israel-Palestine, presented a project based at the School for Peace, which brings together Israelis and Palestinians. The aim is to involve them in discussions about their role in the conflict. A parallel project brings together Palestinian and Israeli women, tackling both the issue of politics and the empowerment of women. Ms. Sonnenschein also outlined the many ways in which Palestinian and Israeli women have been active peacemakers and resisters of violence, including the women’s groups For Mothers, New Profile and Women in Black.

Project Bangwe
Ms. Michelle Greuter presented the Project Bangwe in Burundi, which, launched in 1998, focuses on the Great Lakes region. "Bangwe" stands for "Stop It" and is a programme that advocates peace through formal and informal education, seminars, and conferences.

Women’s involvement in the peace process in the Philippines
Ms. Clarissa Bayan-Sycip of World YMCA presented women’s involvement in the peace process in the Philippines. She provided a historical background, outlining how women (Christina, Muslim and indigenous Lumag women) have made progress in conflict resolution, often encouraging peace through traditional means such as the ‘Bodon’ celebration.

Security Council Resolution 1325
Ms. Sheri Gibbons of the Women’s Peace Project, WILPF introduced Security Council Resolution 1325, passed unanimously on 31 October 2000. Perhaps more than any other resolution, it urges for the inclusion of women at the peace table and calls for a gender perspective and gender mainstreaming in all aspects of conflict prevention, peacemaking and post conflict reconstruction, among other things. Ms. Gibbons emphasized that 1325 is a valuable tool as its application lies not only within the UN system but at the local, national and regional levels. She further proposed an implementation strategy to raise awareness and impact policy on 1325 (For further information see www.peacewomen.org).

Ms. Cora Weiss of the International Bureau for Peace continued the discussion on Resolution 1325, discussing positive steps made with UN Resolution 55/281 in the Prevention of Armed Conflict to be discussed in July; in the DPKO’s work; and in ECSOC. She reiterated the message that women need to be involved at all levels of peace-making: ‘Women will count only when we count the women’.

The third part of the session focused on disarmament. Ms. Eva Quistorp of Women for Peace, Germany, introduced the subject with a film on the use of arms in space. Following the film, Ms. Quistorp argued that treaties ensuring that space is used only peacefully are not enough. There is further need for awareness raising about military budgets on arms and lobbying of governments. A key point made was that military arms budgets could be used instead for social services. (For more information, see www.space4peace.org)

Surprising issues
An important issue raised by Ms. Edith Ballantyne of WILPF is that we often look at conflict as an emotional, psychological phenomenon rather than to also look at the politics of arms.

Conclusions
The session made the following conclusions:

• Security Council Resolution 1325: It is of utmost importance to actively promote and implement the resolution, e.g. to for example translate it into other languages than the UN working ones.
• World Civil Society Forum Coordinating Committee: It is important that this board respects a 50/50% gender balance.
• Second Civil Society Forum: It was proposed that there should be a future working group on Women, Peace, Security and Sustainable Development.
• Report and recommendations: A draft report and recommendations will be produced and distributed by WILPF to all participants of the session.

Presenters' Documents Available

20.01_ballantyne_edith.doc (96 K)

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