General Women, Peace and Security

“No Justice? No Peace!” Never has this chant, which I have heard so often at anti-war rallies, felt so real to me as during the last few months observing the ongoing peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas. The talks began in October of last year in Oslo, Norway and have continued in Havana ever since. “No Justice?

Women must play a greater role in South Sudan's political life, from drawing up the country's constitution to translating it into law, a United Nations official has urged, as the African nation prepares to draft its first legal framework.

Islamic fundamentalist politicians in Afghanistan have stopped a debate on whether to give parliamentary approval to a law protecting women against violence.

Proceedings were brought to an end amid angry scenes when traditionalists demanded a repeal of the law.

India's "Red Brigade" is a group of angry young women with a simple message for the country's sexual predators: change your ways or be ready to face the consequences.

Dressed in bright red shirts and loose black pants, the brigade's members are fed up with deeply ingrained patriarchal mindsets and promote a brand of vigilante justice that is testing the law in their home state of Uttar Pradesh.

Asha Haji Elmi was born in Somalia in 1962 where she graduated from the Somali National University in Mogadishu. She e also holds a Master's degree in business administration from the International University of the United States.

Egyptian women are livid after an advisor to President Mohamed Morsi said that statistics on sexual harassment and sexual violence in the country are “exaggerated.” Omaima Kamel, on the Board for Women's Affairs, said on Wednesday that the Interior Ministry should “provide realistic numbers” on violence against women in the country.

“I earn money and it makes me happy,” says Anjira Ashurova, a 46-year-old woman who lives in the small village of Shahraki Somoniyon in Sughd Province, northern Tajikistan. “I spend it on my basic needs and those of my children. I feel strong. I learned new skills and am practicing them in my daily life. I enjoy my work and the most important thing is that I enjoy working as a team. We support each other.”

Since the beginning of January 2012, an insurgent group has been fighting with the Mali government for the independence of northern Mali, an area known as Azawad. This group, formally known as National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and also referred to as Tuareg nationalists, joined forces with Islamist rebels. By using their combined forces, they gained control of northern Mali in the spring 2012.

The Women's Initiative Network for Peace has urged President U Thein Sein and the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Kachin Independence Organization to include representatives of ethnic women's civil society groups in all aspects of peace processes.

WIN-Peace, organised by 46 women representative from 30 ethnic women's organisations nationwide, sent the request via letter to the president and General Gon Maw on February 19.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of former Irish president Mary Robinson as the new Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa.

Ms. Robinson, who served as president from 1990 to 1997, has more than four decades of political and diplomatic experience, including as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002.