General Women, Peace and Security

“Considering Gender in Conflict Affected Populations: The Republic of Georgia” as presented by Professor Edgren Schori to Adelphi University on Thursday, November 11th, 2010, at 3pm in Adelphi's Alumni House, 154 Cambridge Avenue, Garden City, NY and sponsored by the International Initiatives Committee (IIC).

Too often women and children bear the greatest brunt of war. Violence against women is repeatedly used to break and humiliate women, men and communities in conflict areas around the world.

On October 31, 2000 the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1325 on women and peace and security. But its implementation has been far too slow.

Gender Across Borders is planning a series about gendered experiences of war and peacebuilding.

The general public rarely sees a nuanced image of conflict situations. Typically, women are either labeled as victims or essentialized as peacemakers. Likewise, men are portrayed as perpetrators and power brokers. Between these one-dimensional categorizations is a more complex reality.

Excerpts from Speech of Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury at the Peace Fair Commemmorating the 10th Anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325
on Women, Peace & Security. NY THE FULL SPEECH IS ATTACHED. Ambassador Chowdhury was President of the UN Security Council at the time UN SC Res 1325
was considered, and was very instrumental in its passage.
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One of the most vexing problems of global security is the recurring nature of conflict: Old wars rarely die. More often, they peter out in ceasefires of exhaustion. Fragile truces bring an end to hostilities but do not address the underlying grievances that led to the wars in the first place.

And then they reignite.

For wars occurring in various countries and war zones, record shows that ninety percent of casualties are civilians, women and children. As women become a vulnerable sector for violence, they became easy targets of inflictions. Women are the backbones of every family. As women turn out to be unsafe, the issue on peace and security are mired with daunting future, as well.

With women's rights on the decline in Burma, Mizzima reporter The The interviewed Thin Thin Aung from the Women's League of Burma (WLB) in the run-up to the 2010 general election.

Q: The WLB has outlined various discriminations against women and gender inequality in Burma. So, which rights are being violated and how is violence against women being committed? What are the reasons for these violations?

Women continue to pay a heavy price in ongoing conflicts around the world. Impunity for crimes against women in conflict-affected countries is the norm. Equally troubling, when women stand up and make their voices heard in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconciliation they often face security risks, are denied seats at the table, and are excluded from planning that determines their futures.