General Women, Peace and Security

The head of the new United Nations agency promoting women's rights and full participation in global affairs laid out a 100-day action plan today, embracing a full spectrum of issues from supporting national partners to promoting coherence within the UN system.

Ten years after the Security Council called for greater involvement of women in peacebuilding, United Nations peacekeeping missions have a mixed record and need to deploy greater efforts to reach the goal, according to a study launched today.

Disability access, environment management, women and children's health issues, and improving health service delivery to senior citizens topped the list of human security and development priorities raised by twenty three local women leaders in Nadi during a new interactive policy dialogue with the Nadi Town Council Special Administrator Aisea Tuidraki and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Terence O'Neill this week.

Ten years after the Security Council called for greater involvement of women in peacebuilding, United Nations peacekeeping missions have a mixed record and need to deploy greater efforts to reach the goal, according to a study launched today.

A convenor of a non-governmental organization of Filipinos of mostly Muslim heritage on Monday expressed that Muslim women “are largely excluded from formal peace talks.”

“The impact study is a call to action to the senior leadership of peacekeeping to accelerate implementation of resolution 1325,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy said, referring to the Council's resolution of October 2000, which sought to end sexual violence against women and girls in armed conflict and encourage greater participation by them in peacebuilding initiatives.

Parveena Ahangar's unassuming nature and calm demeanour does not betray the pain and agony that the Srinagar-based founder of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) is going through. Ahangar's son went missing in 1991. “For the last 20 years, I have been moving in and out of districts in Kashmir, with the hope that I will find my son somehow,” she said.

In 1799, the French artist Vivant Denon, accompanying a team of scientists traveling to Egypt with Napoleon (who excused his invasion with the logic that he was bringing democracy to the Arabs) was touring some ancient sites along the upper Nile when he came across an 8-year-old girl in severe pain.

Female voices rang out loud and clear during massive protests that brought down the authoritarian rule of Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.

Women in Tunisia are unique in the Arab world for enjoying near equality with men. And they are anxious to maintain their status.

In Tunis, old ladies, young girls and women in black judges robes marched down the streets demanding that the dictator leave.