Anniversaries of Women's Activism

1. EDITORIAL
Sam Cook

This edition of the PeaceWomen E-News offers an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate women's activism. It is a particularly special time for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom as we mark our 94th Anniversary. Our WILPF Feature Statement to mark this event (Item 3) notes the history and continuation of our work “to assert the right and responsibility of women to participate in decision making on all aspects of peace and security.” This work continues despite – and because of – increasing militarism and military spending. We continue to push the international community to honor the commitments of Security Council Resolution 1325 and 1820 even as we see these being forgotten in so many contexts – from Afghanistan to the DRC – as our Women Peace and Security News section attests (Item 2). The work on disarmament, and on putting “human and economic resources currently going into weapons and war into human needs,” is continuing with the efforts of WILPF women and others around the world. We celebrate them and, in particular, our WILPF sister project Reaching Critical Will – which celebrates its 10th Anniversary.

The story of WILPF and the activism of its members is one part of a long history of women's activism around the world. Our PeaceWomen Voices section (Item 7) also features reflections from Zimbabwe and personal stories of the work of women for independence 29 years ago and their continuing work in the struggle for the protection and promotion of human rights. Women's activism for peace and security and for gender equality has also been significant within the context of the UN. Work to drive the UN and Member States to address gender equality and the concerns of women has resulted in significant policy and institutional developments. The establishment of the mechanism of a Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women – now marking its 15th year – is one such development in our Feature Resources section (Item 5).

The collaborative work of women to advance gender equality is also evidenced in the active campaigns of today and we encourage our readers to sign the online petition in our Feature Initiatives section (Item 6) for the establishment of a new stronger women's entity at the UN. Both within the UN and in other international spaces, ensuring women's participation is an ongoing struggle. The coordinator of the NGO Working Group on women, peace and security in our NGOWG Update (Item 9) notes the attention finally being paid to women's notable absence from peace processes and the work that needs to be done to make rhetorical commitments a reality. Ensuring women and gender equality issues are at the peace table remains one of the most neglected parts of the women, peace and security agenda. The work to bring about gender equality is not, however, solely the work of women. In our Feature Event analysis by IANSA (Item 4) is evidence of the work being done to engage men and boys in this work. Perhaps as we move through these next 18 months up to the 10th anniversary of 1325, we will see new partnerships emerging to advance the women, peace and security agenda. As important as this is, this does not take away from the significant and invaluable work women have done and will continue to do to advance peace and true human security. We celebrate that.

2. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY NEWS

EMPOWERING AND PROTECTING DARFUR'S WOMEN FOCUS OF NEW UN INITIATIVE
April 29, 2009 – (UN News Centre) Ensuring gender equality and promoting the participation of women in the search for peace in Darfur are among the aims of a new initiative launched by the United Nations in the strife-torn Sudanese region.

PROGRESS IN GENDER AND SECURITY ISSUES REQUIRES WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION – MIGIRO
April 24, 2009 – The real measure of women's progress in peace and security issues is not the setting up of processes but women's participation in sustainable peace agreements and post-conflict reconstruction efforts, the United Nations' Deputy-Secretary-General said today.

WOMEN IN SOMALI CITY ORDERED TO COVER UP OR HEAD TO JAIL
April 20, 2009 (CNN) — Women in Somalia's third-largest city, Baidoa, have been ordered to wear Islamic dress starting this week or face jail time, according to a resident and Somali media reports.The order — issued last week by Al-Shabaab, the radical Islamist militia that controls the city — also warns business owners to close their shops during daily prayers or their businesses will be temporarily shut down, a local journalist said.

IN GAZA, POLICEWOMEN GET BACK TO STARTING OUT
April 19, 2009 - (WOMENSENEWS) Every morning Mariam Al-Bursh prepares a bottle of milk for her 1-year-old baby. Then she gets her badge and gun. In the Gaza strip, which is controlled by the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, a female police officer's day begins, in several ways, like that of many of her counterparts around the world.

LEADERS IN SIERRA LEONE SIGN FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AGREEMENT
April 17, 2009 - Feminist Daily News Wire An agreement stating that girls under 18 will not undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone was recently signed by village chiefs and other community leaders, including women who perform FGM. The agreement affects the Kambia district, which is in the northernwestern part of the country.

AFGHAN GOVERNMENT WILL REVISE CONTROVERSIAL LAW, SAYS KARZAI
April 17, 2009 - (Feminist Daily News) Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced yesterday that his government will revise a controversial law that would severely restrict women's rights by legalizing rape within marriage, among other provisions. Karzai told CNN that he was unaware of these provisions when he signed the law last month and that he has instructed "that the law be revised and any article that is not in keeping with the Afghan constitution and Islamic Sharia must be removed from this law."

SA POLITICAL PARTIES SIDESTEP ISSUES AROUND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
April 16, 2009 - (Pambazuka) Despite studies which suggest that as many as one in two women in some parts of South Africa are affected by domestic violence, political parties in South Africa lack concrete, practical strategies to address violence against women, a debate organised by Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre, Women'sNet and the department of political studies at Wits University has revealed.

SOUTH AFRICA: TOWARDS WOMEN'S POLITICAL CALVARY
April 16, 2009 - (Pambazuka) Surveying the range of manifestoes and political stances offered by South Africa's political parties, Liepollo Lebohang Pheko exposes a common paternalistic thread underpinning parties' approaches to women's representation and rights.

HAITI: CEDAW SHADOW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS GUN VIOLENCE
April 15, 2009 - (IANSA) Guerda Benjamin from OFAT Haiti reports on how IANSA women are using a CEDAW Shadow Report to urge the government to take action to reduce and prevent gun violence against women.

AFHAN WOMEN PROTESTING MARRIAGE LAW ARE PELTED WITH ROCKS
April 15, 2009 - (AP) Hundreds of Afghans swarmed a demonstration of more than 100 women protesting today against a new marriage law they say restricts wives' rights. The women were pelted with small stones as police struggled to keep the two groups apart.

SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT NEEDED FOR WOMEN OF FIJI
April 15, 2009 - (YWCA) It was not such a blessed Easter for the people of Fiji. The country has become increasingly unstable in the past few days after its Court of Appeal ruled last Thursday that Commodore Bainimarama's regime was illegal under the country's 1997 constitution. In response, the country's ailing President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, sacked the judiciary, dissolved the constitution, ruled out any election for five years and briefly removed Commodore Bainimarama before re-appointing him as prime minister.

SUDAN: NOBEL LAUREATES DEMAND WOMEN BE PART OF PEACE TALKS
April 14, 2009 - (allAfrica) The international community must act immediately to resolve the political and humanitarian crises facing Sudan, said a panel of leading Sudan experts at a briefing here Tuesday, and ensure that any peace process formally include women's input.

AFGHANISTAN: NEW LAW THREATENS WOMEN'S FREEDOM
April 14, 2009- (Human Rights Watch) The government of Afghanistan should listen to the Afghan women who are planning to hold a protest on April 15, 2009, at great personal risk, and repeal or reform the Shia Personal Status law, Human Rights Watch said today.

AFGHANISTAN: UN CONDEMNS ‘COWARDLY' KILLING OF FEMALE POLITICIAN IN KANDAHA
April 13, 2009 – (UN News) The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today strongly condemned the “vicious and deliberate” killing of a female politician on Sunday in Kandahar, calling it a “cowardly act.”

PAKISTAN: VIDEO FOOTAGE OF FLOGGING SENDS SHOCKWAVES ACROSS COUNTRY
April 7, 2009 - (IRIN) Video footage of the flogging of a 17-year-old girl by bearded Taliban extremists in volatile Swat Valley, North West Frontier Province (NWFP), has sent shockwaves across Pakistan and highlighted the issue of violence against women.

SYRIA: FEARS OVER GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN IRAQI COMMUNITY
April 6, 2009 - (IRIN) UN agencies working in Syria are worried about high levels of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Iraqi refugee community. No comprehensive statistics on SGBV are available for Syria but local studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that the rate of GBV among the refugees is much higher than among the Syrian population.

SRI LANKA: PREGNANT WOMEN AT GREATER RISK IN CONFLICT
April 6, 2009 - (IRIN) Thousands of pregnant women caught up in the fighting between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are in urgent need of healthcare, according to aid workers. “I was scared. I didn't know if we were going to make it,” 23-year-old Thanusiya told IRIN. At eight months pregnant and after weeks of shelling, she and her husband escaped to the northern, government-controlled town of Vavuniya last month.

WOMEN IN CHAD FACE CONSIDERABLE OBSTACLES IN FIGHTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE
April 3, 2009 - (IRIN) Awa was killed by her husband last November in Guelendeng, 150km south of the Chad capital N'djamena. Her death was the tipping point for the town's women, who, appalled by the rampant violence they face, have decided to fight for their rights. In December dozens of women took part in a protest march, the first of its kind in Guelendeng, to condemn the violation of their rights and to call the government to account over the impunity that prevails.

DR-CONGO: ELECTRONICS FIRMS URGED TO BOYCOTT BLOOD MINERALS
April 1, 2009 - (IPS) The world's mass consumption of cell phones laptops and other electronics fuels widespread sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) according to a new study released Wednesday by the non-profit Enough Project that echoes what many human rights activists and humanitarian workers have been saying for years.

BENIN: SUPPORT FOR WOMEN FACING VIOLENCE
March 28, 2009 - (IPS) Judges and gynaecologists in Benin have undergone training on the interpretation of forensic evidence in cases of violence against women, as well as in investigative procedures when dealing with rape cases.

IRAN: TWELVE WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ARRESTED FOR PLANNED NEW YEARS VISIT
March 27, 2009 - (AWID) Twelve women's rights activists were arrested today on March 26, 2009, on Sohrevardi Avenue in Tehran, while meeting up to go for New Years visits of families of imprisoned social and political activists.

OPT: UN TRACKS RISING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN GAZA
March 24, 2009 - (IRIN) The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Gaza, local Palestinian NGOs and mental health professionals are reporting increased incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault against women in Gaza since the beginning of 2009.

FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS WORK TO END GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
March 23, 2009 - (UNMIT) For Police Sub-inspectors Maria Fatima Martins and Daria Ximenes, finding a temporary shelter for victims and witnesses of domestic and sexual gender-based violence is part of their job. It is their way of dealing with the pressing need to shelter the victims and witnesses of homicide and sexual violence in the country. Their latest charge is trying to find temporary shelters for two minors whose parents were murdered in a homicide case.

BYU STUDY LINKS WOMEN'S SAFETY, NATION'S PEACE
March 22, 2009 - (Salt Lake Tribune) In Pakistan's scenic and once-peaceful Swat Valley, Islamic militants shut down 200 girls schools in January, leveling many with explosives. Besides foreclosing education for some 50,000 girls, such gender-targeted hostility may also undermine a nation's security and peacefulness, according to a new study led by a Brigham Young University scholar.

STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE SITUATION OF IRAQI WOMEN AIM OF UN BAGHDAD FORUM
March 19, 2009 – (UN News) With the illiteracy rate among Iraqi women twice as high as that of men and women making up only 18 per cent of the country's labour force, a United Nations conference that opened in Baghdad today is seeking ways to improve the situation of women in the fledgling democracy.

PALESTINE: FEMALE JUDGES GIVE PALESTINIAN WOMEN HOPE OF FAIR HEARINGS
March 16, 2009 - (Globe & Mail) Judge Khuloud al-Faqeeh's biggest fear when she became one of the first two female Palestinian Islamic judges was that men would refuse to stand before her. As in every Arab and Muslim country with the exception of Sudan, only men passed judgment in Islamic courts.

MOROCCO TO BOOST WOMEN'S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
March 11, 2009 – (Magharebia) The Moroccan government has pledged to increase women's political representation at local levels. Following a reform of the Commune Charter that set a minimum quota of 12% for female representation, the government now intends to get the message out to the public. A national awareness campaign entitled "Women in communes: a driving-force for local governance" was launched on Saturday (March 7th).

SIERRA LEONE: WOMEN ACCESS POWER, VOTE BY VOTE
March 10, 2009 (IRIN) - In Kailahun, Sierra Leone, the poorest region in the world's poorest country, women are trying to effect change on the issues that matter to them – maternal mortality, girls' education, teenage pregnancy, literacy rates for women – by entering political office.

U.N. OFFICIAL CALLS FOR MORE FEMALE PEACEKEEPERS
March 10, 2009 - (WOMENSENEWS) The female ranks of U.N. peacekeepers are going up, but not fast enough, according to the organization's top cop in charge of peacekeeping strategy.

LIBERIA LAUNCHES UN-BACKED NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
March 8, 2009 (UN News Centre) – The Government of Liberia today launched a United Nations-backed national action plan aimed at furthering gender equality, sustainable peace and security in the only African nation with a democratically elected female head of State.

IRAQ: IRAQI WOMEN SUFFERING “SILENT EMERGENCY”, SURVEY FINDS
March 8, 2009 - (IRIN) Marking International Women's Day on 8 March a new survey has painted a grim picture for Iraqi women who it says are suffering a “silent emergency” as they endure insecurity, poverty and a lack of basic services.

CHILE: PROGRESS FOR WOMEN, BUT STILL A YAWNING GAP
March 6, 2009 - (IPS) With one year to go in office, women's groups and civil society organisations report positively on Chilean President Michelle Bachelet's government policies to promote gender equity. But there is still much to be done, they say.

PRESIDENT'S FUND REPAYS LIBERIA'S MARKET WOMEN
March 5, 2009 - (WOMENSENEWS)--Massa Cousli knows what it's like to run behind trucks loaded with goods, waiting for the moment something drops off, and then scramble to claim it as merchandise to sell. That's because she's a "market woman," an umbrella term in Liberia encompassing all types of street vendors and petty traders.

WOMEN NEED SAFER ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN WAR SITUATIONS
March 5, 2009 - (ICRC) In the run-up to International Women's Day, 8 March, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that the specific health-care needs of women are often ignored or insufficiently taken into account in war situations.

RWANDA: GENDER TO BE CONSIDERED IN NATIONAL BUDGETING
March 3, 2009 - (AllAfrica) Kigali — Once implemented it will improve accountability of government towards gender equality, women's rights and empowerment with international commitments.

ZIMBABWE: WOMAN JOURNALIST FREED AFTER BEING HELD FOR THREE MONTHS
March 3, 2009 - (AllAfrica) Reporters Without Borders hails yesterday's release of journalist and human rights activist Jestina Mukoko and urges the authorities to free freelance photographer Shadreck Manyere, who is still being held.

ANC LIST GOOD FOR PARTY UNITY, BUT NOT FOR WOMEN AND THE POOR
March 3, 2009 - (BuisnessDay) The strategic nous of African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma is evident when one unpacks the party's top 100 list of candidates to be deployed to the government. That is, if the means test is confined to what is in the immediate short-term interest of a governing party reeling from internal strife and a constant haemorrhage of leaders to the breakaway Congress of the People (COPE).

ZIMBABWE: INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT FALLS SHORT ON GENDER EQUALITY
March 3, 2009 - (AllAfrica) Harare — The formation of an inclusive Government in Zimbabwe has been welcomed by many people in the country who see it as the best framework within which to tackle the country's social and economic development.

CONGO-KINSHASA: BAN KI-MOON MEETS PRESIDENT JOSEPH KABILA
March 2, 2009 -(AllAfrica) Kisangani — On Saturday 28 February 2009, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kisangani, capital of Province Orientale. After the meeting, Mr. Ban told the assembled media that one of the main subjects of discussion was the "issue of sexual violence in the DRC, and the need to tackle the culture of impunity."

UGANDA: YOUNG LEADERS PLEDGE TO IMPROVE SOCIETY
March 2, 2009 - (New Vision) Kampala — With her hands on the lap, Susan Kangumean environmental science student, sat pensively as she watched other students speak. She is one of the 100 students who were selected to from Ugandan universities to attend the Gilrs2leaders National Conference in January.

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3. FEATURE STATEMENT

WILPF's 94th
April 28, 2009

On 28 April 1915 while war raged in Europe, over one thousand women from a diversity of cultures and languages came together to study, make known and eliminate the causes of war.
The organisation they formed, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, continues to assert the right and the responsibility of women to participate in decision-making on all aspects of peace and security.

Celebrating its 94-year history on 28 April, the organisation continues to empower women and work towards the elimination of war, racism, discrimination and violation of women's rights. WILPF women have contributed with other non-governmental organisations to see human rights recognised and codified, landmines banned, and an end to apartheid in South Africa . All this is detailed in an exhibition being launched around the world as part of the anniversary.

While WILPF has witnessed progress over its 94 years, we live in a tense world of increasing military expenditure, of increasing investment in war, and still using war. Gaza and the West Bank remain occupied; the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues; in Sri Lanka , Tamil civilians remain trapped in a military conflict; deaths in Afghanistan go on and on; and the burkhas in Afghanistan stay on and on. The killing in Iraq continues, as does the corporate welfare of Halliburton, Parsons Corporation and Bechtel to name but a few of the profiteers in Iraq who have perfected organised crime.

While words such as "security" and "terrorism" are manipulated to leverage a reduction in civil and political rights, and human and financial resources are drained from delivering economic, social and cultural rights and security for all, three interlocking crises are faced: climate change, peak oil and an economic depression.

Military security concepts and weapons profiteers bear enormous responsibility in killing our planet, impoverishing its people and changing our climate. The US Pentagon is the biggest single user of oil in the world (320,000 barrels per day), and generates 750 million tons of toxic waste per year.

While more people become impoverished, governments are wasting enormous resources on weapons and preparation for war. During a so-called financial crisis, governments are annually spending 1339 billion, the equivalent of 600 years of the UN's budget, on military expenditure. Bombs, guns and landmines cannot be eaten, will not hinder a tsunami, a hurricane, a flood, a bushfire, a virus, or a water shortage. These are our real security threats. We can face and address them, but only if we organise, cooperate and put the human and economic resources currently going into weapons and war into human needs.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is the oldest women's peace organisation in the world, established in 1915 to oppose the war raging in Europe . It has been working ever since to study, make known, and abolish the causes of war, and to support human rights and general and complete disarmament. www.wilpf.int. ch
4. feature EVENT

Review of the Global Symposium on Engaging Men and Boys in Gender Equality : Challenging Violent Masculinities
International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), April 2009

With an investment of half a million dollars and 3 years of planning, over 450 men and women from over 80 countries gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a Global Symposium on Engaging Men and Boys in Gender Equality, 30 March to 3 April 2009. Speakers included the Director of UNIFEM, UNAIDS, representatives from the World Health Organization, and a video address by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations. Funded by CIDA, Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, the Brazilian Health Ministry, Nike Foundation, Oxfam Novib, SIDA, and a host of UN agencies, the Symposium had the following goals:

• To increase involvement of men and boys in the promotion of gender equality and the reduction of violence against women by scaling up existing work;
• To build skills and capacity of NGOs committed to working with men and boys for gender equality;
• To promote dialogue between existing NGO efforts, policy makers and private sector;
• To highlight existing policies and best practices that can be reproduced to promote greater gender equality through the involvement of men and boys;
• To build and strengthen a growing international network of programs, activists and policy makers dedicated to engaging men and boys in gender equality.

During the opening statements, Gary Barker of International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and Co-Chair of the MenEngage Alliance explained how striving for gender equality has united a number of organisations for many years and resulted in the MenEngage Alliance. In his opening remarks he also made reference to the link between violent masculinities and 'men with guns'.

Paul Hunt, the Canadian Ambassador to Brazil talked about the 'Montreal Massacre' being a turning point for Canada. [On 6 December 1989 at École Polytechnique in Montreal, a young man armed with a legally obtained semi-automatic rifle and claiming that he was 'fighting feminism', shot twenty-eight people, and killed fourteen women. The incident led to more stringent gun control laws in Canada and changes in the tactical response of police to shootings.]

Inés Alberidi, Executive Director of UNIFEM stated that "there is no turning point; we must work together, men and women." UNIFEM announced their partnership with MenEngage and also their new 'corporate strategy', which actively involves men and boys in violence prevention, and integrates the masculinities discipline. Along with other UN entities such as UNAIDS, UNFPA and UNDP, UNIFEM has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MenEngage. In his address, Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General said "Men must teach each other that real men do not violate or oppress women."

Of most interest to the IANSA Women's Network were the organisations, activists and presentations that challenge rigid gender norms and engage men and boys in reducing violence against women and girls. Over two-thirds of participants at the meeting were men. This is in stark contrast to meetings dealing with the issues of gender based violence, violence against women, and violence prevention where women far outnumber men. A recent example is the 53rd UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) where, with the exception of government delegates, men are few and far between. There are countless other examples.

Most of the speakers and the organisers were very clear and open about the need to include women and feminists who have tirelessly campaigned, agitated and lobbied for decades, and have paved the way for the 'men's movement'. This was apparent in the plenary 'Dialogue with Women's Rights Movements' and particularly Michael Kimmel's comment "never forget we are here because of the work of women".

One of the most engaging sessions was 'Men, Masculinities and Gender-based Violence' and the presentation by Jackson Katz. He asked how many more women and girls have to die before decision makers acknowledge the extent and depth of sexism, violent masculinity and men's violence against women. He called for men to speak out, to start to make sexist attitudes or behaviour toward women socially unacceptable among men. He urged participants to encourage more men to work with women as partners and allies. He described the subtle forces that stifle the voices of men who are uncomfortable with abuses perpetrated by other men including questioning the manhood and heterosexuality of men who would dare take the 'women's side' in the supposed 'battle between the sexes'. He also explained how the defensiveness that many men feel at the mere mention of the scope of the problem keeps them from becoming actively involved in the struggle against gender violence. He argues that, in this case, defensiveness is really a form of denial that allows men to avoid being personally implicated.

The IANSA Women's Network made a joint presentation on 'Small arms and Masculinities' with Viva Rio (Brazil) and the Observatory on Gender and Armed Violence, University of Coimbra (Portugal). The session highlighted how the deadly problem of gun violence is fundamentally gendered, men, women, boys and girls being differently impacted, differently involved and having different responses to gun violence.

The session showed how the association of men and masculinity with weapons, at all levels of society from the international to the domestic, is a threat to peace and security, a source of subordination for women, and what is more, damaging to men themselves. An example cited from Brazil's Instituto Promundo's 'Program H', illustrated an innovative approach to tackling the culture of violence. The Program encourages young men to question gender norms and allows them to formulate and perform alternative behaviour. The programme combines educational workshops and peer group support with public campaigns, which use 'media, advertising and youth culture to promote gender equality among young men as being 'cool' or 'hip.'' For example the campaign has targeted attitudes where violence against women is excused in the 'heat of the moment' with slogans like 'In the heat of the moment, a real man cares, listens, accepts.' The campaign openly aims to promote an alternative model of masculinity among men living in deprived and violent communities.

Another point that was raised repeatedly during the Symposium is that 'gender' is usually considered to mean 'women' and therefore is invisible to many. If something is called 'women' or 'gender' men generally do not see it as an issue that involves them, even when it does. This was apparent in the session, 'Gender and Masculinities in Post-Conflict Settings' which included a presentation by Chris Dolan of the Refugee Law Project in Uganda. He argued that post conflict gender policies often have a one-sided view of gender which equates women as being vulnerable. These policies tend to overlook male sexual violence and, as a result, survivors are silenced and it remains hugely under reported. As a result, men disengage from the discourse. In addition, he argued that there is little consideration of the impact on men of the rape of their female relatives, as men are usually the targets of this psychological dimension of rape. He showed examples from Refugeee Law Project's video advocacy programme in which male Congolese refugees and asylum seekers in Uganda, survivors of rape and sexual violence, talked about their experiences. When men perceive themselves as losing their masculinity, they may feel that the only way to re-achieve it is through dominance and violence. Guns and violence may also become intertwined with concepts of what it means to be sexually masculine.

The organisers acknowledged that it is essential to invite contributions from the many thousands of men and women who were unable to participate in the Symposium and who are working to end male violence against women in their own countries and communities. As a result, there is an opportunity to feedback on the Rio 'Call to Action' which calls on individuals, communities, NGOs, governments, the private sector, the media, donors and the UN to invest in men and boys in order to change their behaviour and attitudes towards gender equality. It has been posted online at: http://www.engagingmen2009.org/24 and you can send your suggestions and comments to: menengage@menengage.org.br

IANSA is concerned that the current text of the 'Call to Action' perpetuates stereotypes by referring to either armed conflict or gangs, without considering other contexts in which gun violence exists. As outlined in the paper 'Men, masculinity and guns: Can we break the link?' the strong relationship between guns and masculinity is a result of multiple and intersecting social factors. Men must be able to recognise the costs of gun culture to their own safety, and to that of their community. A violent masculinity is not inevitable. By challenging gender norms with both men and women an alternative non-violent masculinity can emerge as a positive choice for men.

The message of the Symposium was clear - although we have a strong and active IANSA Women's Network which includes some men, we have to build upon our efforts and strategies and involve more men and boys in our work to end violence against women.

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6. FEATURE resources

15 years of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences
United Nations, March 2009

This review aims to take stock of the achievements of 15 years of work on the VAW mandate, which has produced an impressive collection of 14 annual reports, 32 country mission reports, 11 communication reports comprising many communications to and from governments, and several other pieces of research.2 Given the quantum of work and its significance, a review provides an opportunity to consolidate the main achievements, and the space to reflect upon the gains and the potential for future progress and directions of the mandate. The expansive coverage by the mandate and the complexity and interconnections among the concerns and categories of violence make it difficult to undertake a comprehensive review—and this exercise does not aim to be one. Rather, it is selective in terms of its focus on the substantive achievements of the mandate and the challenges before it.

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Words to Action E-Newsletter, Issue No. 3
UN Division for the Advancement of Women, April 2009

Newsletter of information on actions undertaken by United Nations Member States and United Nations entities to address violence against women. The e-newsletter is designed to disseminate information on actions undertaken by United Nations Member States and United Nations entities to address violence against women.

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The UN Secretary-General's database on violence against women
United Nations, March 2009

On 5 March 2009, the new database on violence against women was launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. The database offers a comprehensive and systematic way to search for data on gender-based violence.

The primary source of information for the database is the responses received from Member States to a questionnaire on violence against women from September 2008, and subsequent updates. It also includes sources such as states parties' reports to human rights bodies, information provided by Member States in follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995), as well as information available through relevant United Nations entities.

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6. FEATURE initiative

Global GEAR Campaign petition to build a UN that really works for all women!

This year, at the United Nations 53rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) the GEAR Campaign launched a global petition (for individuals) that calls for the creation of a new, stronger women's entity at the UN. The petition specifically demands an ambitiously funded new entity with meaningful involvement of civil society at all levels, both in the process of creating the entity and in all aspects of its work.

Please take a minute to sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/GEAR

Here are some other ways to help promote the GEAR petition:
- forward it to friends and colleagues
- post it on listservs
- add a link to it in your email signature
- add a link to it on your professional or personal website
- promote it in various news groups, online forums and discussion groups...

For more information, please follow this link: http://gear.collectivex.com/main/summary

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6. peacewomen voices

Her Reflections on Zimbabwe's 29th Independence Anniversary: An Essay
Nyaradzai Mugaragumbo-Gumbonzvanda, 18 April 2009

The 18 of April 2009 is a special day when our nation celebrates its 29 years of independence from colonial rule. A nation celebrating the gallantry of its daughters and sons who shed their blood, suffered, imprisoned and struggled until victory was indeed certain.

I reminisce the meaning of this day to my late mother, Rozaria Marumisa Dizha, born 1923 and passed on in 2006. An ordinary Zimbabwean like any other woman, she contributed the best she could, with the means she had towards the liberation of the country. She gave her daughters and sons to the liberation, some serving as prisoners of war and others skipping the borders. Like other villagers, she provided food and financial contributions for the comrades “war vets” survival during the guerrilla warfare. In the wee hours of the day, with volume turned low, she listened the voice of Zimbabwe on radio. Women's role in the liberation struggle remains a silent song, yet many of us recall vividly, that women and their daughters agonized and organized like every other Zimbabwean.

Mbuya Rozaria watched that day in 1978, when her whole village was bombed, all the houses were torched, and many children, women and men were wounded. The Rhodesian army was after the guerrillas who had been seen in the area, it is rumored. Within days all the schools in the neighborhood were closed, only to-open at independence. Mbuya Rozaria joined in burying the dead, her own people. She nursed and consoled the sick and bereaved. She did not loose heart but remained part of the many ordinary Zimbabweans who supported the struggle.

In 1980, she was one of the many and thousands of rural women who walked the many miles to cast their vote. It would be the first time for Zimbabwean black women to vote. Voting for independence, voting for President Robert Mugabe! I was young then, but I danced in the village as we listened to the radio and heard the election results. I did not know that 28 years later, we would hold our breath for over 3 weeks, waiting for yet another election result, uncertain and with fear. We cried with happiness, knowing that our family members scattered far and wide will come home again, and we will be a whole family again.

We danced to the festive village drums (jiti) all night going from village to village, welcoming the comrades coming home, with life, independence and some flashy goodies. Soon after independence, the young men and women who had been fighting the war of liberation were back home. Most of the prisoners of war were released. Those were happy days. Many a young women were swept off their feet with the recently demobilized combatants who were an enigma unto themselves! Oh the early eighties were sweet moments for us as girls old enough to understand the intrigues and dynamics brought by this wave of change and its possibilities. Today's young Zimbabwean girls are desperately looking for education, employment and hope.

In 2009, I look back and wonder what this independence celebration would have meant for my late mother. She would have remained clung to her rosary in prayer, saying as many Hail Mary's as she could, as a devout Christian and catholic who knew that her God is a caring and loving shepherd. She could have been disappointed. She would have been sad that schools are not fully functioning; that hospitals have no drugs; that we had a cholera crisis. She would not have understood why we have to use the US Dollar, rand or pula. She could have asked many questions, would have swallowed her disappointments, and urged the younger ones to do something so that life is better and meaningful. She would still be listening to the radio and attending church as before.

She died at home in 2006, at her son's house in Murewa. At that crucial moment two of her beloved daughters present said “Amen”. The family could afford her hospital fees, but the health care system had collapsed. She was a home-based care case. Today is a far cry from her independence dreams. Years earlier, she had buried her grandson to AIDS, then her son, another son and a daughter. She had cared for them all at home. She had been to hospital with them, only to be advised, ambuya (granny) its best for you to care for your child at home. These were the signs of the catastrophic economic, humanitarian and health crisis in Zimbabwe. She buried them with dignity, in the village, next to their late father's grave. She stood with her daughters in law, held her grandchildren and whispered that it will be okay, they should strive to remain in school. She smiled and knew she had given her best, to her country, her children and her God. She was ready to sojourn into the afterlife.

As we celebrate the 29th Zimbabwe independence this year and remember the life of the late Mbuya Rozaria Marumisa Dizha, we honor many ordinary women who gave birth to a new nation. Just like any other veterans of the struggle, we salute them and give them our respect. We owe them the basics that they fought for. Freedom. Life with dignity. Respect. Recognition. Prosperity. Health, education and above all affirmation that every Zimbabwean deserves recognition as a heroine or hero. A status conferred within one's own heart. In prayers, we ask for the soul of the late Mbuya Rozaria Dizha to rest in perpetual peace as we ask the leadership of today to respect that which was dreamt by many Zimbabwean women and men who served with humility and invisibility. These are the heroines whose names may never be mentioned in the list of honorable members laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre.

About the author: Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda is a founder of Rozaria Memorial Trust, established in memory of Mbuya Rozaria Marumisa – Dizha. She is an advocate for peace and women's human rights. She currently serves as the General Secretary for the World YWCA.

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8. TRANSLATION UPDATE

Bulgarian, Nepali, and Pashto Translations Now Available!

Total number of available 1325 translations: 98

Bulgarian is a Southern Slavic language with about 12 million speakers mainly in Bulgaria, but also in Ukraine, Macedonia, Moldova, the Western Outlands in Serbia, Turkey, Greece, and Romania. Bulgarian is mutually intelligible with Macedonian, and fairly closely related to Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Slovenian. The Bulgarian translation was done by Gergana Miteva, law student at New York, and her father Hristo Georgiev Mitev, high school teacher in Bulgarian and Russian literature in Bulgaria.

Nepali is the lingua-franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar (Burma) as well as Tibet. The translation was done by the Women for Human Rights Single Women Group.

Pashto, also known as Afghani, is the official and national language of Afghanistan. It is is an Indo-European language spoken primarily in Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan, as well as some parts of northeastern Iran. The translation was provided by the Language Unit of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

If you know of existing translations of 1325 which are not among the 98 on the PeaceWomen website, or would like to volunteer as a translator, suggest potential translators or add languages to the list for priority translation, please contact info@peacewomen.org

9. ngowg update

Women's Participation in Mediation
Sarah Taylor, Coordinator NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security

Over the last several years, there has been growing interest at UN headquarters about the "participation" aspect of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Specifically, attention is finally being paid to the fact that women are notably absent from peace processes. Those who are working on women, peace and security have been raising this issue for a while now - for example, at the October 2005 Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, the topic of women at the peace table was a major theme.

A recent Open Debate in the Security Council is an indicator of how the topic is moving into the "mainstream:" on April 21, 2009, "Mediation and settlement of disputes" was discussed by Security Council Members and Member States after a briefing by Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs. This was the latest in a number of developments at UN Headquarters here in New York on mediation: with the creation of the now year-old Mediation Support Unit at the Department of Political Affairs (DPA); the Presidential Statement delivered by current Security Council member Burkina Faso; and the report of the Secretary General on mediation, which was released in late April.

This open debate marked the growing recognition outside of the traditional women, peace and security world that 1) women have been systematically excluded from peace processes; and 2) this needs to change. The fact that 22 Member States addressed this challenge in an Open Debate that was not focused on women, peace and security represents a quite a positive development. Of course, it has taken almost 4 years, but nonetheless.

Highlights of this current discussions on mediation include:
- The Secretary General's report on mediation notes that women should be present at the highest level of negotiations, that women's civil society organizations should be consulted in peace processes, and that, “Peace processes, therefore, need to ensure not only adequate representation of women as participants and observers but also gender expertise in agenda-setting, substantive talks and implementation, in order to redress past inequalities, so that new institutions can be built to provide greater social justice for all.” (Paragraph 22).1

- In the Open Debate, 22 Member States addressed one or more of the following: the need for women mediators the need for gender balance in peace processes; the need to include and consult with women's civil society organizations during these processes.

- Both last September's Presidential Statement (PRST) by Burkina Faso2 and the PRST from the Open Debate this April noted the importance of women mediators.3

I think it will be unsurprising that the news is, notwithstanding these positive developments, not all good. The fact remains that on the ground, women and issues of particular concern to them are absent in negotiations. At the policy level, there is still no systematic gender advice in DPA, particularly in MSU. The DPA USG, for example, did not mention women or gender in his briefing to the Security Council.

Women's participation in these processes is fundamental to the protection and promotion of women's human rights in conflict-affected situations. As the Secretary General's recent report on mediation noted, women need to participate at the highest levels of peace negotiations, issues of particular concern to women need to be substantively addressed in these negotiations, and it is vital that women's civil society organizations are consulted throughout.

Yet, to date, we are still waiting for the United Nations and Member States to take several crucial steps to address the current absence of women in peace processes. Again, what we need are systematic, substantive action taken to redress this absence of women and the issues of concern to them in conflict situations. The 10th anniversary of SCR 1325 is coming up in just over a year, and it seems like a good time to ask: wouldn't it be great to see the following three actions taken by then?

1. The UN appointing high-level women mediators – not just once, but consistently. This will be at least partially dependent on Member States providing the names of appropriate women, and supporting them with training and political backing. The excuse that there are no women available with appropriate training or experience is groundless: a cursory look at past mediators will demonstrate that

2. DPA addressing this issue at a fundamental level, with a systematic approach. There should be a politically strong and independent gender unit within DPA, with gender advisers in each department, particularly in the Mediation Support Unit.

3. On a broader level, if we truly hope to include women's voices and address the particular concerns of women in conflict, we need a UN entity for women that has greater status, funding, country-presence and normative and operational functions. The current model being proposed by the Gender Equality Architecture Reform campaign would be an excellent way to address this.
_________________________
Notes:
1) See paragraphs 16, 22, 23, 62 (f), and Annex paragraph 4.
2) The Security Council notes that women have an important role to play in the settlement of disputes, stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and calls upon the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the heads of regional and subregional organizations to take into account the gender aspect during mediators selection, as well as the approach and perspective that women can render in mediation processes." S/PRST/2008/36
3) The Security Council notes with concern the very low numbers of women in formal roles in mediation processes, and stresses the need to ensure that women are appropriately appointed at decision-making levels, as highlevel mediators, and within the composition of the mediators' teams in line with resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008). It reiterates its call to the Secretary-General and the heads of regional and subregional organizations to take the appropriate measures to that end. S/PRST/2009/8

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10. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY CALENDAR

6th Global Conference: War, Virtual War and Human Security
May 1-3 2009, Hungary

This inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary conference seeks to provide a challenging forum for the examination and evaluation of the nature, purpose and experience of war, and its impacts on all aspects of security, human security and on communities across the world.

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First International Congress on Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration
May 4-6, 2009, Cartagena, Colombia

The CIDDR in Cartagena is being organized by the Office of the High Counselor for the Social and Economic Reintegration (ACR), the National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation (CNRR), Acción Social and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to the Colombian government, other international and national governmental and non governmental organizations – including World Bank's Social Development Department and the United Nations Development Programme's Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) – are also co-organizing this event.
Beyond providing an important experience sharing forum for DDR, security and development, and post-crisis reconstruction experiences in general, this Congress will seek to highlight the benefits of a community-based reintegration strategy as a way of guaranteeing the long term success and sustainability of reintegration programs.

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Advanced Conflict Transformation
May 4-29, 2009, Johannesburg South Africa
Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA)

The Advanced Conflict Transformation (ACT) is a four week course that is organized by COPA. This course offers diverse aspects of conflict transformation and peace building. It is aimed at participants working in related fields on the African continent.

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Second Annual Workshop for Women in International Security
May 8-10, 2009, Quebec City
Institut quebecois des hautes etudes internationales (HEI)/ Programme Paix et Securite Internationale (PSI) and the Groupe d'etude/ Recherce sur la securite internationale, Universite de Montreal (REGIS)

The Programme Paix et securite internationales (PSI) wishes to emphasize women?s presence and contribution in international security. In order to achieve this, PSI is organizing the second annual workshop that will be held from May 8-10, 2009. Its first goal is to reinforce the network created at last year?s successful workshop which developed a platform for discussion and exchange for women working on security issues. During this conference, different activities will take place: academic presentations, career-building seminars, and a one day negotiation exercise on conflict resolution.

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IPDTC 2009 Spring Peace Academy
May 11-29, 2009, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
International Peace and Development Training Center (IPDTC) and the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR)

IPDTC is launching its 2009 Spring Peace Academy with a range of programmes addressing the core skills, knowledge and experience of all practitioners working in the field of peacebuilding, conflict transformation, development work, humanitarian aid, gender, governance and other related areas.

For more information on course content, fees and application procedure, please click HERE or write to training@patrir.ro

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Call for Nominations: Eleanore Schnurr Award, Presented by the Council of Organizations
May 14, 2009

Eleanore Schnurr was an individual who, as a representative of a nongovernmental organization accredited to the United Nations, worked diligently for many years on a multiplicity of issues. She persisted despite numerous obstacles, and was an outstanding and effective champion of humankind.

In recognition of her exceptional service in support of the work of the UN and to honor her as a valued colleague, the Council of Organizations (New York) of the UNA-USA has created the Eleanore Schnurr Award to be presented annually to a non-governmental organization representative who exemplifies the courage and commitment of Eleanore Schnurr.

For more information, please email jhartl@unausa.org

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8th International Security Forum
May 18-20, 2009, Geneva, Switzerland

The Forum will bring together some 500 experts with security-political background, among them civil servants, diplomats, military, academics, and representatives of international and non-governmental organisations worldwide. The objective is to create a platform for discussion and dialogue on past, current and future security problems and solutions.

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International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament
May 24, 2009

It will be a special day, so please mark it in your calendar now! A day in which we offer you the opportunity to discuss, sing, and be inspired by speakers and musicians from the Balkans and the Caucasus. Incredible women, who raise their voices for peace through activism, music and art. Come on May 24 to World Culture Center RASA in Utrecht and be part of Voices of Peace from the Balkans and the Caucasus.

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Human Rights Fieldwork - Principles, Strategies and Skills
May 31 - June 6, 2009, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
International Human Rights Network

The aims of this annual IHRN training programme are to explore the principles underpinning effective human rights fieldwork, enhance the skills of participants needed to carry this out safely before/during/after armed conflict, ensure that human rights fieldwork is relevant, effective, sustainable, participatory and accountable and raise participants&; self-awareness of skills required to undertake international human rights fieldwork. The training programme is intended for development and humanitarian aid workers, civilian/military peace-keepers, NGO and IGO field staff.

Overview:
* Evolution of international human rights law and implementation mechanisms relevant to human rights fieldwork
* The full cycle of human rights monitoring from information gathering to stimulating sustainable progress in conflict/post-conflict environments
* Case studies for monitoring the full spectrum of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights
* Interviewing and reporting techniques
* Applying development programming to human rights fieldwork
* Working with field partners, co-operating and building relationships
* Personal preparedness including, safety/security, stress/trauma etc
* Core field challenges, such as intercultural sensitivities, teamwork, leadership etc.

Deadline: Priority to applicants confirmed before 31 March 2009

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2009 Women PeaceMakers Program
San Diego, CA
Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice

Deadline for applications: June 1, 2009

The Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice (IPJ) in San Diego, California, is currently accepting applications for its Women PeaceMakers Program (WPM). The WPM program is designed for leaders from conflict-affected countries around the world who are transforming conflict and assuring gender-inclusion in post conflict recovery through in human rights advocacy and peace building efforts they lead. These are women whose stories and best practices will be shared internationally; they are women who will have a respite from the frontlines work they do.

* Four Women PeaceMakers are selected each year to spend two months in residence at the Institute. They will receive a small stipend while having their unique peacemaking stories documented, through both film and narratives that will be available to inspire others around the world. Women PeaceMakers in residence will have the opportunity to engage with the community through a series of public panels and to meet with other activists and leaders involved in human rights, political action and peacemaking efforts.

* Four Peace Writers are selected each year to document the stories of Women PeaceMakers for publication. Writers will interview the Women and engage in extensive research to become familiar with the histories of their conflicts and peacemaking efforts.

* Residency dates are September 14-November 6 for Peace Makers and September 8-November 28 for Peace Writers. contact Erika Lopez, Women PeaceMakers Program Officer, at erika.lopez@sandiego.edu.

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Justice Sector Reform: Applying Human Rights Based Approaches
June 2 - 26, 2009, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
International Human Rights Network

The aim of this annual IHRN training programme is to enhance skills of participants in applying Human Rights Based Approaches to Justice Sector Reform. It will facilitate the development of knowledge and skills regarding:

* The legal principles, policies and practice underpinning human rights based approaches to justice sector reform
* The inter-linkages between justice sector actors (law enforcement, judicial, corrections, etc) The relationship between the justice sector and related terms such as 'security sector', 'rule of law', 'good governance'
* Human Rights Based needs assessment, programme design, implementation, as well as monitoring & evaluation
* Programming tools and checklists (including Human Rights Based benchmarks and indicators of change)
* Case studies from national contexts as well as international field missions (including conflict and post-conflict)
* Teamwork, advocacy and strategic partnerships

The programme includes participation in the international conference Measuring Justice.

Deadline: priority for applications received by 3 April 2009

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7th European Feminist Research Conference
June 4-7, 2009, Utrecht, The Netherlands

The 7th European Feminist Research Conference "Gendered Cultures" focuses on Europe and European perspectives, combining the Humanities with (inter)disciplinary research from other scientific traditions. It actively seeks cutting-edge scholarship by working with papers organized around intersecting themes.

Themes:
A. Imagination: Art & Politics
B. Feminism in Post-Secular Europe
C. Global Connections: Migration, Consumption & Politics
D. Sexuality: Public, Private & Beyond
E. War & Violence
F. Media & Technology: The Politics of Representation
G. Multi-Ethnic Europe: Identities, Boundaries & Communities
H. Stories to Tell: Fiction, History & Memory
I. Generations in Feminism: Women's Movements of Past, Present & Future
J. Cultures of Knowledge: Sciences, Humanities & Feminist Theory
K. Social & Economic Europe: Geographies of Work & Care

Deadline for registration: May 28, 2009

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Inclusive Security: Expanding Participation of Women in Peace Processes
June 8th - 12th, 2009, Washington, DC
Institute for Inclusive Security

This course will introduce participants to "inclusive security," a framework for creating sustainable peace and security. Given changes in the nature of modern conflicts, conflict resolution and transformation efforts require increased participation of all stakeholders, particularly women. Through interactive role plays, small group work, case study analysis and use of visual media, participants will explore the critical role and specific contributions of women in peace processes. Specifically, the course will provide participants with concrete skills to engage women in several key components of peacebuilding, including negotiations, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) structures, and transitional justice mechanisms.

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NCRW Conference 2009: Igniting Change: Activating Alliances for Social Justice
June 10-12, 2009, New York, NY
National Council for Research on Women (NCRW)

Join leaders from business, academia, philanthropy, advocacy, and policy communities to devise collective strategies for leadership and change.

Plenary themes:
• Powering Change: Is there a New Landscape for Social Justice?
• A New Agenda for Global Human Rights

Breakout themes include:
• Youth: Opportunities and Challenges for Building Leadership Pipelines
• Health and Reproductive Rights
• Women, War and Security
• Developing Political Agendas at State and National Levels
• Historical Memories, Current Challenges & the Future of the LGBT Movement
• Science, Environment and Technology
• Popular Culture and Gender Images
•Philanthropy, Social Entrepreneurship, and Activism
•Investing in Women and the Economy

Hosted by
The Center for the Study of Women and Society CUNY Graduate Center

Co-Sponsored by
Barnard Center for Research on Women, Demos, Girls Inc., Shirley Chisholm Center for Research on Women, U.S. National Committee for UNIFEM New York Chapter, The White House Project, The Women of Color Policy Network at New York University

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Call for Applications: International Training on Nonviolence in the context of War or Armed Conflict – Kurve Wustrow
June 16 - July 3, 2009, Wustrow, Germany
Kurve Wustrow

This training addresses those working or planning to work in peace initiatives or NGOs in areas of war or armed conflict and offers a good opportunity to participate in a shared and truly international experience of learning and teaching. With our International Training on Nonviolence we want to qualify and empower those people, who are striving for peace in areas of war or armed conflict. The training will improve theoretical and practical skills of participants in the area of nonviolent action and civil conflict transformation. Participants will be enabled to do peace work more efficiently and also be prepared to serve as disseminators in their organizations after the completion of the training.

Deadline: March 6, 2009