South Asia SASRO ‘Experts Group' on Women Peace & Security organized a regional Conference on “The Changing Dynamics of Peace building in South Asia: Recasting Women's Agency and Transformative Strategies” in Kathmandu February 15th -17th, 2013.
Even before joining WFP seven years ago, Baicon Macaraya, head of WFP Philippines' Iligan sub-office, had all the tools to do her job in conflict-affected Central Mindanao. As an advocate of gender mainstreaming, Baicon has pushed towards a new outlook on women and development.
"In Gaza we don't lead normal lives, we just cope, and adapt to our abnormal lives under siege and occupation," says Dr. Mona El-Farra, a physician and a long-time human rights and women's rights activist in the Gaza Strip. On International Women's Day, when many of the world's women are fighting for workplace equality and an end to domestic violence, Farra and the majority of Gaza's women fight for the most basic of rights.
It was winter when I interviewed Tahmina at a Kabul prison for girls. Six to eight girls lived in each room, and although I preferred to interview each of them privately, the girls all wanted to stay together and hear what everyone had to say. So together, we sat on the carpeted floor and listened to Tahmina's story.
Lebanese women are taking to the streets to demand that the government takes domestic violence seriously, by introducing laws to protect women from abusive partners.
Feminist activists have been demanding that politicians ignore the objections of Muslim religious authorities and pass a stalled law protecting women from domestic violence.
Legislators in India should substantially amend or replace the new criminal law on violence against women in the forthcoming budget session of the parliament, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. On February 3, 2013, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee signed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2013, amending criminal laws, over protests from human rights and women's rights groups across the country.
The WILPF Palestine section strongly condemns the heinous crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people in general, and against women and children in particular, especially in the latest war on Gaza and the rest of the Palestinian territories.
Women's organizations, feminists and peace activists face multiple dilemmas in trying to make themselves heard and have an impact on the political process.
The UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, adopted by the Security Council in 2000, is considered by many a historic milestone. In it the Council dealt for the first time specifically with women's experiences in conflict situations, recognising their contribution to conflict resolution, prevention and management.
