General Women, Peace and Security

Thank you. Well, it is wonderful to be back at Georgetown to give all of the students an excuse not to keep studying for their last finals. (Laughter.) That's what accounts for the enthusiastic response here in Gaston Hall.

Half of all peace accords signed in the last 20 years have failed—and one reason is that they were left to men. Swanee Hunt on the women leading the charge in fixing how war and peace are waged.

On Saturday in New York City, in a pedicab amid a sea of yellow taxis, I made my way a dinner hosted by Crisis Group, one of the world's most influential sources of advice on prevention and resolution of deadly conflict.

For the past five years, Achieng*, a 35-year-old widow and mother of six, has sold fish on the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria; like many women in the fish trade, Achieng often has to have sex with fishermen in order to get the best catch of the day, a system known in the local Luo language as 'jaboya'.

When Alfred Nobel drew up his will, he designated peace as the fifth and final prize area. He said that the prize must be awarded "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses"

Every year women world over mark the 16 Days activism on violence against women. It is an international campaign started by the Centre for Women's Global leadership (CWGL) in 1991. It runs from November 25, International Day of Violence Against Women to December 10, International Human Rights Day to symbolically link violence against women and human rights.

When journalist Jineth Bedoya stood outside the gates of Bogota's maximum-security La Modelo prison one morning nearly 11 years ago, little did she know that the visit would mark her life and convert her into a household name.

Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today stressed that efforts to restore peace and stability in Africa's Great Lakes region will not come to fruition unless the scourge of sexual violence is completely eradicated and justice systems are strengthened to end impunity.

Secretary Clinton will deliver two major speeches in the coming days on Women, Peace and Security.

At 7:30pm on December 16, at the International Crisis Group's annual In Pursuit of Peace Award Dinner, the Secretary will lay out the case for the critical role women play in making peace and achieving lasting security.

When the bazooka ruled in 2003 and only the opinions of Liberian warlords and a beleaguered head of state mattered to the world community, Leymah Gbowee and seven immortal others rose to project the power of peace through non-violence.

Women's rights champions are not prepared to let the dust settle on the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness that ended in this South Korean port city on Dec. 1 with the customary nod towards gender equality and empowerment.