World Social Forum
20-25 January, Nairobi, Kenya

WILPF Workshop: "Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 Women, Peace and Security in Non-conflict Zone Countries" 

As many of you know the 7th World Social Forum will take place in Kenya, Nairobi from 20 January to 25 January. WILPF has traditionally participated in many social fora around the world and this one should prove no exception. I have attended several social fora and firmly believe that WILPF members and WILPF as an organization should continue to participate.

I was asked by WILPF President Regina Birchem to see if I could organize an international WILPF delegation to the WSF Kenya and see what our participation might involve. I have also been contacted by Nicci Simmonds of 1000 Peace Women Across the Globe (she's located in Canada) about WILPF collaborating with them on organizing events around UN SCR 1325 Women, Peace and Security, which as you know, WILPF was very instrumental in creating and getting passed by the UN Security Council in 2001 and WILPF continues to work towards its implementation in war and conflict zones.

Nicci, her organization, and others that they are already collaborating with have several workshops and events they have started planning. WILPF has been asked to join these efforts because of our work on 1325 and our organizational stature on human rights peace issues.   

I would like to discover who is planning to attend the WSF Kenya, who would like to be a part of this organizing, and perhaps other plans for workshops/events that you may have already organized or would like to organize. The 1000 Peace Women Across the Globe et al  events will cover several days of the forum and promise to be significant. I feel it is important for WILPF to join these efforts. Also, I would like to know if people have already started planning WILPF participation in this and any other area. Perhaps we could organize a concerted effort to get a WILPF delegation that has a meet-up at the forum and we can see what each other is doing in our respective geographies and build our international sisterhood.                   

Please let me know  what plans you may have and what you might like to do. One more important item: anyone who has expertise on 1325 in their country could be invited to participate as a panelist on events that 1000 Peace Women are organizing. Nicci asked me to try to locate 1325 experts for this.

I am looking forward to hearing from you and hope to meet you at the WSF in Kenya
Pat Willis,
WILPF US Section