Declaration of the Women's Coalition 1325, Azerbaijan

1. 1325 NEWS FOR PEACEWOMEN

Courage Under Fire
November 27, 2002 – (The Guardian) For almost a year Caoimhe Butterly has been standing in the way of Israeli tanks and troops in Jenin. Last Friday, she was shot by a soldier - but she still won't leave. For the full story in The Guardian, go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,848369,00.html

How Rwanda's Genocide Lingers on for Women
November 27, 2002 - (Christian Science Monitor) A handful of programs are assisting women who were raped and infected with AIDS, but thousands more go without help. For the full story in The Christian Science Monitor, visit: http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1127/p08s01-woaf.html

Campaign on Violence Against Women Launched in Sierra Leone
November 26, 2002 - (IRIN) A 16-day campaign targeting violence against women was launched on Monday in the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, by the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). For the full story on IRIN News, visit: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=31105&SelectRegion=West_Afri...

U.N. Holds Session On Effective Strategies To Protect Women
November 26, 2002 – (UN Wire) The world body marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women yesterday by featuring the work of four activists, including a high-ranking police officer and a vice mayor, who have gained authority in their fields by highlighting some of the most effective strategies that have worked to prevent violence against women, according to Noeleen Heyzer, executive director of the U.N. Development Fund for Women. For the full story on UN Wire, visit:
http://unf-staging.groupstone.com/unwire/util/display_stories.asp?objid=...

On November 25, 2002, UN Wire wrote about Secretary-General Kofi Annan's message to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. For the full story on UN Wire, visit: http://unf-staging.groupstone.com/unwire/util/display_stories.asp?objid=...

UNIFEM Intensifies Efforts to Turn Promises to Actions: Leaders Call for Increased Investment to Ending Gender-Based Violence
November 25, 2002 (UNIFEM) – Citing the continuing escalation of human rights abuses against women, UNlFEM today, the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, called for sufficient resources to turn promises to action. For the full story, go to: http://www.unifem.undp.org/newsroom/press/pr_021125_nov25.html

A Life Free of Violence: It is Our Right-A UNIFEM Campaign
25 November – 10 December 2002
On November 25th, UNIFEM launched a campaign to celebrate the 16 days of activism to end violence against women in Latin America and the Caribbean. To learn more about UNIFEM's campaign, go to: http://www.unifem.undp.org/newsroom/events/freeofviolence/index_en.html

Call for Stronger Women's Role in Conflict Resolution in Ethiopia
November 25, 2002 - (IRIN) Women must play a pivotal role in bringing an end to wars that have ravaged the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia's minister for women said on Monday. For the full story on IRIN News, visit: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=31068&SelectRegion=Horn_of_A...

Gender Imbalance A "Leadership Issue," U.N. Official Says
November 19, 2002 – (UN Wire) Slow progress at the United Nations toward a better balance of the sexes in decision-making jobs is a problem of leadership in the organization, U.N. spokeswoman Madhumita Hosali told Inter Press Service in remarks published today. For the full story on UN Wire, visit:
http://unf-staging.groupstone.com/unwire/util/display_stories.asp?objid=...

Future of Afghan Women Debated at Forum
November 18, 2002 – (WEnews) A year after the historic meetings that led to the formation of Afghanistan's interim government, scholars and U.S. officials debate the future of the country's women. For the full story on WEnews, go to: http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=1113

Invisible Casualties of War
November 18, 2002 – (Institute for War and Peace Reporting's Balkan Crisis Report) Bosnia's raped women are being shunned by a society that refuses to see them as victims. For the full story, go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/news/november/RapeinBosnia.html

Namibian MP Says Internet can be Empowerment Tool for Women
November 16, 2002 – (PAMBAZUKA) Women and Child Affairs Deputy Minister Marlene Mungunda, says Information Communication Technology, particularly the Internet and e-mail, could be used for women's empowerment. For the full story on Pambazuka News, visit:
http://www.africapulse.org/index.php?action=viewarticle&articleid=583&PH...

For More News please see: http://www.peacewomen.org/news/newsindex.html

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2. FEATURE ANALYSIS: On the Anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325

By Kara Piccirilli, PeaceWomen Team

The week that the Security Council hosted women "from the field" in an informal "Arria Formula" meeting to discuss the two-year old Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the Council members also continued their consideration of the resolution on Iraq. Women from Uganda, Israel and India traveled to New York to testify to the status of women in their respective regions. Each attested to the violations of women during armed conflict and post-conflict situations, and also, the important role of women as actors in
peace-building and the maintenance of peace.

The women made an appeal to Security Council members to intervene in the face of violent conflict to promote peace, and to recognize and support the actions taken by women and women's groups to bring about lasting peace in conflict and post-conflict situations. Furthermore, the women insisted that the Security Council follow the lead of women in decisive actions, such as the Israeli-Palestinian women's crafting of a peace agreement, signed and publicized years before the Oslo Accords.

In the press conference held immediately before the informal meeting with the Security Council, Gila Svirsky of the Coalition of Women for a Just Peace and Women in Black International Network acknowledged that few people know about women actors during periods of war, armed conflict and post-conflict. She appealed to the members of the press who were in the audience at the press conference to report on women's peace work. Furthermore, she argued that the concepts of peace and war need to be reframed in the media; the idea of peace can be sold as an equally intriguing and desirable concept as war.

Amid the multitude of events surrounding the resolution's anniversary…negotiations were made over diction and compromises on States' positions on the resolution on Iraq. The US's desire for quick action in the Security Council put the Resolution on Iraq at the top of the Council's priority list. As a result, the Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security was rescheduled from a Friday to the next Monday, and then sandwiched between meetings on Iraq on Monday and Tuesday.

Over thirty countries made interventions during the Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security. Each country affirmed the mandates of the resolution, and most discussed the progress in implementing the resolution within their own country. However, it seemed ironic to many of us in the gallery of the chambers that members of the sitting Council were not taking into account the legal mandates and spirit of Resolution 1325 when formulating the resolution on Iraq. How could it be possible to commit to protecting civilians, particularly women and girls, and to concede to the use of force in disarming Iraq? Or to "take into account gender considerations and the rights of women, including through consultations with local and international women's groups", but not ask Iraqi women their opinion about enforcing disarmament or their work in peace-building?

While this nascent resolution is much closer to the beginning of its path toward implementation than the end, women in many different armed conflict and post-conflict situations are using it as a tool for promoting and protecting their rights. Working across the street from the Security Council allows us the opportunity and gives us the responsibility at the WILPF-UN Office in New York City to create and maintain dialogue with sitting Council members and other States. Until this resolution becomes a reality in the lives of women everywhere, we will continue to advocate for and demand that the mandates of this resolution are integrated in the Security Council's dialogues and actions.

For a comprehensive annotated bibliography of books, articles and analyses on women's peace theory and activities, as well as NGO position papers, reports, speeches, statements and tools for organizational building, please go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resindex.html

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3. FEATURE STATEMENT: Declaration of the Women's Coalition 1325, Azerbaijan

On September 6, 2002, 24 women from Parliament, state agencies, the NGO community, political parties and mass media, gathered at the UN House in Azerbaijan to set up a women's coalition in support of Resolution 1325 called “Coalition 1325.” This women's coalition is an initiative of UNIFEM's regional project “Women for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building in the Southern Caucasus.” According to a UNIFEM press release dated October 10th:

“The newly established entity will help raise the awareness of the Azerbaijani society on the content of UNSC Resolution 1325. It will advocate for increasing the role of Azerbaijani women in decision-making with regard to conflict prevention and resolution at the national, regional and international levels. “Coalition 1325” aims to involve women refugees and internally displaced persons in peacebuilding process, to promote the culture of peace and establish cooperation with women's coalitions working on similar issues abroad.”

Although this group has now been active for almost three months, we in the PeaceWomen team just recently learned about them for the first time. We have included their declaration below, released on September 6, 2002:

We, the undersigned, having gathered in Baku, on September 6, 2002:

Referring to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Beijing Declaration and Action Platform passed at the Fourth World Women's Conference held in 1995, the final documents of the 23rd Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly named "Women in 2000: Equality, Development and Peace between Men and Women in the 21 Century" and the 27th Special Session concerning children, and as well as to the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of 31 October 31 2000, and taking into account:

-Our anxiety about the negative impact of military conflicts on the civilian population, notably children and women, and their victimisation under military occupation;
-That most refugees, as a result of military conflict, are women, children, and adolescent girls, that women often are a single head of a family and carry out parental functions;
-The big role of women in peaceful resolution and settlement of conflicts and the necessity of their all-round and equal participation in preserving and maintaining peace and security;
-The unsatisfactory level of women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution and the need to strengthen their role in this field;
-The responsibility to respect human rights and abide by humanitarian legal norms protecting the rights of women and girls during and after the conflict; and
-Accentuating, once more, the significance of the measures espoused in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000,

Hereby declare the establishment, in Azerbaijan, of the Women's Coalition 1325 in keeping with the relevant resolution of the UN Security Council.

The Coalition, motivated by the existence of the above-mentioned problems and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, invests itself with the responsibility to undertake the following:

1. Strive to ensure women's involvement and active participation in conflict prevention and resolution within the framework of national, regional and international institutions in Azerbaijan;

2. Establish relations and achieve close co-operation with women's organisations active in various countries;

3. Make every effort to prevent any conflicts arising on ethnic and religious grounds;

4. Engage refugee and IDP women more closely in peace-building;

5. Endeavour to build civil society in Azerbaijan by propagating the culture of peace.

Women's significance for Azerbaijani society is high and has deep historical roots. Within the course of the history, Azeri women have taken an active part not only in scientific and cultural, but also socio-political life of Azerbaijan. They have directly participated in solving vital issues of the nation and, when necessary, have fought side by side with men for the defence of the country. Nowadays, every Azeri woman also feels responsibility for the solution of crucial societal problems equally with men. Our aim is to participate in the process of strengthening the independence of our Republic, and peaceful settlement of the most acute problem of the nation – the Garabagh conflict.

Bearing in mind the century-old traditions and the reality, we consider it necessary to establish a new institution with a view of ensuring a close participation of women in the solution of the conflicts our people have confronted. We consider that this organisation, the aim of which is to establish peace in the region, will make a considerable contribution to the solution of the problems that the Azerbaijan Republic has faced, and resolution of the conflict into which our peace-loving people have been involved against their will.

We, the members of the Coalition 1325, declare to the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, the National Parliament (Milli Mejlis), the Cabinet of Ministers, international organisations, foreign diplomatic representatives accredited to Azerbaijan, members of non-governmental and public organisations, leaders of political parties, business circles and mass media our hope that the study and widest possible dissemination of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 will galvanise peace-building forces towards securing respect for international legal norms by the conflict parties and will contribute to constructive dialogue at a regional level.

Women's Coalition 1325

For more information about the Women's Coalition 1325, contact Gulshan Pashayeva, National Project Coordinator, UNIFEM - Azerbaijan at: gulshan.pashayeva@undp.org

To read this declaration online, visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/voices/declar/1325Azerbijan.html

For a comprehensive annotated bibliography of books, articles and analyses on women's peace theory and activities, as well as NGO position papers, reports, speeches, statements and tools for organisational building. Please go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resindex.html

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4. FEATURE CAMPAIGNS: TAKE ACTION NOW TO STOP THE WAR ON IRAQ!

A Call for local, decentralized actions on December 10th

A call to action on December 10th, International Human Rights Day, has been put out by WILPF, through its partners the Pledge of Resistance (which WILPF has endorsed) and United for Peace (a coalition of groups opposing war on Iraq - of which WILPF is a part). Please spread the word with your members and affiliate groups.

Hundreds of communities around the country will organize events on this day and United For Peace will publicize them as a national day of action. For more information about the United For Peace Campaign contact 202-862-9740 x3038 or 415-255-7296 x311, and visit: http://www.unitedforpeace.org.

WILPF is drafting a letter from the women of the United States to the women of Iraq, expressing our sorrow and dismay at the threat of war and extending the hand of peace. The letter will be sent out early next week after it has been finalized, with a more full description of the Women-to-Women project. One possible action for December 10th would be to do public signings of the letter at places such as shopping malls, post offices, and grocery stores. For more information about this event, contact Jen Geiger, Program Coordinator, WILPF US Section, at jengeiger@wilpf.org or call (215) 563-7110.

Also,

White flags against the war

In view of the ongoing massive war preparations of the US government against Iraq, it is time now for a worldwide, visible sign of protest against this war. Beginning on November 15th until the end of this year, we will show, with white fabric on the windows of our apartments in all villages and cities of all countries worldwide, our clear NO against the ongoing warmongering.

This easy-to-realize demonstration has no center and is not bound to any ideology or political party. It will find highest attention in all our streets and in all media and thus demonstrate clearly the profound disagreement of the largest part of humanity against this war.

For more PeaceWomen campaigns please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/campaigns/outreachindex.html

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5.. RESOURCES FOR PEACEWOMEN: Listservs, E-Newsletters and E-News Services

Much of the information compiled in 1325 PeaceWomen E-News comes from free listservs, other email newsletters, and e-news services. Considering the abundance and diversity of information provided by these information services, we thought that some of our readers might like to subscribe directly to them, if they have not already, in addition to our own 1325 PeaceWomen E-News. While there are countless information services that exist in the form of listservs, e-newsletters and e-news services, these are just a few of the ones that we rely on to produce the 1325 PeaceWomen E-Newsletter:

The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR)
“IWPR is a London-based independent non-profit organization supporting regional media and democratic change.” IWPR provides electronic publications covering the crises in Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Subscribers can chose which regions they would like electronic reports from. To subscribe, go to IWPR's website at: http://www.iwpr.net.

IRIN News
“Bridging the Information Gap”
The Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), an initiative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is a web and email information service that reports on events “on the ground” across Africa, and in Central Asia. IRIN News focuses on “strengthening universal access to timely, strategic and non-partisan information so as to enhance the capacity of the humanitarian community to understand, respond to and avert emergencies.” In addition, IRIN supports efforts at conflict resolution and reconciliation by countering misinformation and propaganda. IRIN's email service provides immediate, daily or weekly news distribution. To subscribe, visit: http://www.irinnews.org/Subscriptions/default.asp. To visit IRIN News online, go to: http://www.irinnews.org

Pambazuka News
“A weekly electronic newsletter for social justice in Africa”
The Newsletter is an advocacy tool for social justice. Their categories include: Conflict, Emergencies, and Crises; Rights and Democracy; Health; Women and Gender; Refugees and Forced Migration; and Media. Subscribers are invited to submit news items as well as editorials. To subscribe, send an email to pambazuka-news-request@pambazuka.org with only the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body.

UN Wire
“An Independent News Briefing about the United Nations”
UN Wire is a free daily news service sponsored by the United Nations Foundation and its sister organization, the Better World Fund. The daily news service covers a wide range of issues, including health, environment and sustainable development, women and population, international human rights, UN reform, and peacekeeping and security. To subscribe, visit the UN Wire Web site at: http://www.unfoundation.org/unwirelogin/unf_listadmin.asp and enter your email address. To visit UN Wire online, go to: http://www.unwire.org

UNIFEM CURRENTS
“CURRENTS is the monthly electronic news bulletin of UNIFEM which provides up-to-date information briefs on UNIFEM initiatives, successes, events, projects and activities worldwide.” To receive CURRENTS, email majordomo@undp.org with the following command in the body of your message: subscribe unifem-currents <e-mail address of new subscriber>
Please leave the subject line in the e-mail blank. To submit work to CURRENTS, email rabya.nizam@undp.org
For more information, and for past issues of CURRENTS, go to: http://www.unifem.undp.org/newsroom/currents/#receive

Women's Enews
“Bridging the gender gap every day”
“Women's Enews is a nonprofit independent news service covering issues of concern to women and their allies.” Women's Enews subscribers may select whether to receive a daily full text, daily summary or weekly summary. To subscribe, visit: http://www.womensenews.org/subscribe.cfm. To visit Women's Enews online, go to: http://www.womensenews.org

Women-in-War List, Network of East-West Women (NEWW)
Women-in-War is the newest email list of the Network of East-West Women. Women-in-War is dedicated to the discussion of issues surrounding women from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Newly Independent States (NIS) who are either directly involved in political conflicts, participate in conflict resolution projects, or work in media reporting of conflict situations and their impact on women. To subscribe, visit: http://lists.partners-intl.net/mailman/listinfo/women-in-war/
For NEWW's other mailing lists, visit: http://www.neww.org/listinfo.htm. To visit NEWW's website, go to: http://www.neww.org/

Women's GlobalNet
Women's GlobalNet is a bi-weekly bulletin on activities and initiatives of women worldwide, produced by the International Women's Tribune Center (IWTC).
To subscribe, send a blank message to: iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com
For back issues of IWTC Women's GlobalNet, go to: http://www.iwtc.org and click on either Women's GlobalNet under Resources, or What's New?

For a comprehensive annotated bibliography of books, articles on and analyses of women's peace theories and activities, as well as NGO position papers, reports, speeches, statements and tools for organisational building, go to: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resindex.html

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6. CALENDAR EVENTS FOR PEACEWOMEN

The Fourth Global Forum on Reinventing Government
December 12-13, 2002, Marrakech, Morocco
The Forum aims at devising means to promote democracy, as well as economic and social development through cooperation between various components of society and the international community. For more information, visit: http://www.globalforum.ma

Preceding the Forum, UNIFEM, together with the Norwegian Agency for Development Assistance and the Norwegian Association for Local and Regional Authorities will organize a workshop on "Women and Governance: Participation, Percentages, Impact and Power." It will provide participants with an opportunity to exchange views and practical experiences on Women and Governance, focusing on women's participation in formal and informal governance institutions. For more information, contact Aina Iyambo, UNIFEM's Peace and Security Specialist, at: aina.iyambo@undp.org.

Central Pennsylvania Consortium's Women's Studies Conference: Women and War
March 1, 2003, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
The keynote speaker will be Dyan Mazurana, co-author of the United Nations Secretary-General's study on Women, Peace and Security, and Security Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. The organizers are seeking proposals from the academic and activist communities. Students are also welcome to submit proposals. Possible topics include the impact of war on children and women, the militarization of women's lives, women in peace-making and peace-keeping, portrayals of women in war: film, literature, and art, and women at the home front. Email proposals are due January 15, 2002. For more information email: cpc@dickinson.edu.

Fifth International Conference On Peace and Nonviolent Action: Seeking the True Meaning of a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World
February 23-7, 2003, Udaipur (Rajasthan), India
The Anuvrat Global Organization (ANUVIBHA), a transnational center for peace and nonviolent action associated with UN DPI is organizing the Fifth International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action in India to strengthen the global campaign to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence. The conference will include plenary sessions on varying aspects of the culture of peace and nonviolence, as well as workshops, lectures and roundtable discussions. The deadline for registration and proposals is December 31, 2002. For more information, visit: http://www.anuvibha.org/

For more calendar events please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/frame/calendar/calendar.html

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