Taking Women Beyond 1325

Women can, should and do play a crucial role in reducing violent conflicts around the world. However, the coverage on women in the media often reinforces the image of women as the victims of war. Not negating there are women all over the world suffering the consequences of conflict and violence, focussing on their victimhood takes away the possibilities for empowerment and the ability to play a proactive role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 to three women, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman, as a recognition for their 'non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work', is an encouraging in the struggle for the recognition of women's role in armed conflict and violence. More so, the further explanation of the Nobel Committee that 'We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women achieve the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society', underscores what many women peaceactivists have long been saying.

To further contribute to this necessary change and in the lead up to the 11th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 in October 2011, the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) is organizing several activities in the week of the 24th October 2011. All activities will focus on the need and possibilities for media engagement to promote the role of women in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, in particular through the implementation of UNSCR 1325.

In this community you will find profiles for the participants to these events, blogs around the topic and background documents. For a more detailed description of the weeks events, click here.