ANALYSIS: Violence Against Women 'Biggest Threat to Peace'

A Women for Women International report being released on international Stop Violence Against Women Day (25 November) finds 'violence against women is the single biggest threat to peace' and countries are falling strikingly short on UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and UN (SCR) 1325 development and security goals.

Women for Women's Country Director for Nigeria, Ngozi Eze, will be in London on 25 November to launch the Gender, Conflict and MDGs report, based on research with grassroots organisations operating on the frontline.

The Report found that at the 10-year mark, goals signed up to by UN members to eliminate poverty and empower women, have fallen strikingly short of expectations. While many countries are behind on their promises to meet the MDGs, particularly those goals in which gender is explicit, conflict-affected countries, are further behind.

“Sadly, in times of war a woman's burdens only get heavier, her vulnerabilities more pronounced. She remains locked in poverty, often losing the protection of home and husband, coping with fear and suffering devastating rights violations and violence, including torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution and mutilation.

"Despite these grim realities, she brings enormous energy, leadership and resilience to protecting families and rebuilding fractured communities.

"Yet, her essential voice remains absent from formal peace negotiations and her needs remain on the margins of reconstruction, development and poverty reduction programmes” Says Kate Nustedt, Executive Director of Women for Women.

To mark the tenth anniversaries of both the MDGs and UNSCR 1325, Women for Women International commissioned the research project to pinpoint steps that are needed to affect real change for women in conflict-affected countries based on their actual experiences.

Report Launch: Nigeria Stronger Women, Stronger Nations Event 25 November, London

http://www.womenforwomen.org/help-women/nigeria-stronger-women-stronger-...

The Report is being launched at a joint event organised by Women for Women International and the No Women No Peace Campaign on 25 November 7-9pm, at Amnesty International 17-25 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EA.

This event will examine violence against women in conflict-affected countries with a particular focus on Nigeria.

At the event, Women for Women's Nigeria Country Director Ngozi Eze (please see profile below), will be speaking about the current situation for women in Nigeria and the disproportionate impact that violence has on their lives. She will also talk about how economic opportunities are key in providing women with security.

There will be followed by an expert panel discussing the impact of violence including;

* Chinwe Azubuike — contemporary Nigerian poet and campaigner for the rights of widows

* Uju Ofomata Aderemi - Programme Director for One World

* Alice Ukoko - Founder/ CEO of Women of Africa

Tickets are £3 unwaged, £5 waged. To register for a place, please contact epen@womenforwomen.orgwith "Nigeria: Stronger Women, Stronger Nations" as the email subject. Payment can be made at the door.

ENDS

* Women for Women's Country Director Ngozi Eze, UK Executive Director, Kate Nustedt and event speakers are available for interview on request.

* Women for Women International help women in areas of conflict around the world to rebuild their lives enabling them to move from victim to survivor to active citizen. We do this through a one year programme that includes counselling, support, access to education, rights awareness, vocational and business skills and finance. www.womenforwomen.org . Women for Women have supported 300,000 women in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Hergovinia, the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan.