The Women, Peace and Security Working Group was formed in June 2000 to lobby for a Resolution on women, peace and security at the UN Security Council.
Its purpose is to promote the participation of women and the promotion of a gender perspective in peace and security, policymaking, conflict management and peacebuilding initiatives of the United Nations.
The members are WAND, the Hague Appeal for Peace, International Alert, the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, International Women's Tribune Center, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Members of the group have been working on the issue of women and armed conflict, refugees, women and security and women and peace building over a long period. All organisations have local partners in areas affected by conflict and have developed close collaboration with and links with women’s organizations, research institutions and/or government official working in conflict affected regions.
The NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security works on the basis of a number of important principles:
- The diverse mandates, constituencies, areas of expertise, geographical location and membership contribute to enhance the potential impact of the individual organisations both in their efforts to affect global policy processes and their interface with their constituencies.
- The work of the group has a predominant focus on UN processes relevant to women, peace and security.
- A distinctive contribution of the group is the linking of macro policy processes to the perspectives, concerns and aspirations of women working for sustainable peace in areas affected by violent conflict.
- The work of the group is a part of the larger programmes undertaken by all members. As far as possible and when appropriate the initiates of the members can link and complement the initiatives undertaken by the group as a whole.
Key Activities
- Ensuring the effective implementation of all aspects of Resolution 1325
- Monitoring and responding to policies on women, peace and security of relevant UN bodies
- Establishing an ongoing dialogue with policy and decision makers in the UN system including bodies, agencies and member states
- Developing policy inputs to key member states and the UN system
- Advocating for effective implementation and, when appropriate, providing guidelines and best practice for implementation
- Liasion and support to individuals and working groups promoting issues on women, peace and security and acting as change agents within the UN system
- Opening
spaces for women’s organisations to affect change in the UN
system and facilitating women’s organisations understanding
of the system.
Website: www.peacewomen.org/un/ngo/back.html
MEMBERS OF THE NGO WORKING GROUP ON WOMEN AND INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY
THE HAGUE APPEAL FOR PEACE
In May 1999 the Hague Appeal for Peace held the largest civil society conference for peace in modern history. The conference called for the recognition of peace as a fundamental human right, the abolition of war and the right of women to take part in resolving and preventing conflict. Conference delegates approved the Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century, which stressed the need to include women from all areas of society at all stages in any peace negotiating process. Thousands of local organisations launched their own campaigns as a result of the conference. The Hague Appeal for Peace has just launched its campaign for Global Peace Education, which promotes women’s rights and needs as an integral part of any peace process.
Contact: Cora Weiss (Tel: 212 687 2623)
Hague
Appeal for Peace
777 UN Plaza,
New York , NY 10017
Ph: 1 212 687 2623
Fax: 1 212 661 2704
E-mail: Cora Weiss Website: www.haguepeace.org
THE WOMEN’S COMMISSION FOR REFUGEE WOMEN AND CHILDREN
For more than ten years the Women’s Commission has been defending the rights of refugee and internally displaced women and children around the world through fact-finding missions and advocacy. Advancing sustainable peace through the protection and participation of displaced women and children has been a cornerstone of the Commission’s work. This includes highlighting the need for gender balance in all areas of peacebuilding and reconstruction through field-based reports (Gender Audit of Reconstruction Programmes in South Eastern Europe; Rebuilding Rwanda: A Struggle that Men Cannot do Alone; and Only Through Peace: Hope for Breaking the Cycle of Famine and War in Sudan), supporting local peace initiatives such as Women as Partners for Peace in the Great Lakes region, serving on International Alert’s Women Building Peace Advisory Board and hosting panels on the contributions of refugee and displaced women at Beijing +5 (2000) and the Hague Appeal for Peace Conference (1999).
Contact: Jenny Perlman/Ramina (Tel: 212 551 0959)
Women's
Commission for Refugee and Women and Children
122 East 42nd Street
New York NY 10168
Ph: 1 212 551 3063
Fax: 1 212 551 3180
Website: www.womenscommission.org
THE WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM
WILPF was established in 1915 and is the oldest women’s peace organisation. WILPF brings together women from all over the world who are opposed to war, violence, exploitation and all forms of discrimination and oppression, who wish to unite in establishing peace by non-violent means based on political, economic and social justice for all. Holding consultative status with the UN since 1948, WILPF recently brought together 30 governments in the implementation of the Beijing and Beijing +5 processes.
Contact: Sara or Kara
Women's
International League for and Peace Freedom
777 UN Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Ph: 1 212 682 1265
Fax: 1 212 286 8211
Website: www.peacewomen.org
International Women's Tribune Center
The International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC), an international non-governmental organization, was set up following the International Women's Year Tribune (an NGO forum of 6000 women) held parallel to the UN's first world conference on women in Mexico City, 1975. IWTC's purpose is to facilitate the exchange of skills, experiences and ideas among groups working to promote the more active and equitable role of women in a sustainable development process which is participatory and inclusive of all people. Information, education, communication and organizing activities form the core of IWTC's collaborative action programme. IWTC provides communication support and basic technical assistance and training. As a producer of education and information resources, IWTC seeks to translate research findings and policy mandates into information materials that bridge the gap between policy and action
Contact: Isha Drfon
International
Women's Tribune Center
777 UN Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Ph: 1 212 687 8633
Fax: 1 212 661 2704
Website: www.iwtc.org
|
|||||
