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Peace Disarmament Economic Justice Environment Racial Justice UN Human Rights Contact |
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December 2007 WILPF Monthly Update Dear Section Presidents, International Board Members, International Affairs Representatives and Committee Convenors, In this mailing you will find:
As always, we welcome feedback and input to these monthly mailings. If you have something to contribute to the January mailing, please send it to susi.snyder@wilpf.ch no later than the 12th. Please remember that you can find past monthly mailings archived on the WILPF international website: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/updates/up_index.htm With warm greetings for a peaceful new year, Susi Snyder 1. Message from the Executive Committee Dear friends, What has preoccupied the ExCom over the last month is the International Programme for 2008. We have been reflecting on and integrating all of the very thoughtful feedback received, which has greatly enriched the new draft sent to all sections. We have also been working on the Congress evaluation, preparing the March meetings in New York and Geneva, continuing our dialogue with Y WILPF and finalising financial reports, accounting for the international and Congress figures. In addition we have worked with the Secretariat in sending out WILPF statements to mark the UN Day Against Violence Against Women (25 November) and Human Rights Day (10 December), as well as a statement from the Economic Justice Committee on fair trade agreements. A challenging time has passed since the Congress. We in the Executive Committee have, with enthusiasm and seriousness, taken on the ongoing work for WILPF. It is a big responsibility to carry on this historic work. But we must also be cautious about becoming too overburdened and afraid to change. We want – with your help – to continue WILPF’s struggle to give women a voice and say in the “the state of the world”. What can we, building on our experience and broad network of sections, achieve in the coming years? Where are our strengths and weaknesses? How can we best use our limited resources? How do we reach out to all the places that we ought to be? WILPF is great and is doing a fantastic job in many places and within a broad spectrum of fields. Let us never forget this. Now, after nearly 100 years we have new challenges to face. For that reason we started the work of strengthening the WILPF programme and tying policy to action. We have received a lot of good and realistic feedback from the sections and at the end of the year we can now focus on realising and fundraising for our common program. We want all our members to engage with their international board members to make this programme stronger. We have to connect the good work in New York and Geneva with the realities in the sections. We have to include the struggle and organizing of women’s groups in war torn areas all over the world with WILPF work and concerns. We have to be more active members in WILPF and we have to enjoy our work – we can make a change! We in the Executive Committee are looking forward to our International Board meeting in India (19-25 November, 2008) in order to carry this work forward. AND WE WISH YOU A PEACEFUL END OF THIS YEAR AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! In Peace and Freedom 2. Message from the Secretary General Dear WILPF Members and Friends, As I sit in a cold and rainy Geneva, so many things are happening to give us pause for reflection as we look ahead to 2008. This week in the Palais des Nations two simultaneous meetings of interest have been taking place. The Human Rights Council has been taking place across the hallway from the 2007 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological and Toxicological Weapons Convention. WILPF’s Geneva team has been present at both meetings. We are taking the opportunity to speak with both governmental and non-governmental representatives who are also spending their days walking back and forth between the two rooms. These hallway crossings have given us a chance to talk about issues of human security and human rights, both, peace and freedom together. The statements we issued and delivered this past week on Human Rights as well as on biological weapons are included in this mailing (items 7 and 8 respectively). Interactive dialogues seems to be one of the new buzz phrases around the UN system. From the Human Rights Council, that is encouraging interactivity with Special Rapporteurs and experts, to the BWC, where Ambassador Khan (Pakistan) the Chairman of this conference brought together a group of academic and NGO experts in an informal fishbowl style discussion during the first day’s session. Indicating that this was not precedent setting, Amb. Khan said he wanted other states parties to benefit from a dialogue with experts the way he has benefited during his chairmanship. These discussions, sadly, will not be made part of the formal record of the meeting, however they did present some ‘food for thought’ that hopefully delegations will take back to their capitals and digest a bit. These food for thought items included a recommendation that when governments fund a scientific programme, those who receive the funding should have a demonstrable knowledge of the legislation around the issue (i.e. the BWC and any other national laws related to it). Practical and logical recommendations like these foster implementation of the existing agreements. This month we have also witnessed the launch of the 60th year anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Geneva’s NGO Committee on the Status of Women is looking at how to promote Eleanor Roosevelt’s engagement with the drafting of the declaration and more information about this project can be found here: http://www.erooseveltudhr.org/. WILPF released a statement on International Human Rights day (item 6) and the Goteborg branch of WILPF Sweden sent us a short report on their activities to commemorate this important day (Item 7). 10 December is also the last day of the 16 Days of Action Against Gender Violence. As part of WILPF’s 16 days campaign, our PeaceWomen staff sent a letter every day to a different UN Security Council Member (see item 10) highlighting the need to better consider issues of sexual and gender based violence in their work. Indonesia was the only SC member who responded to this initiative, offering thanks and promising increased commitment. Last week, WILPF was elected to the Board of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO). We have been a member of CONGO almost since the start of their work; Edith Ballantyne was elected President for two terms and can take credit for really building the work of many of CONGO’s Special Committees and sub-Committees, which I am honoured to continue as President of the NGO Committee on Disarmament. This network of over 500 organizations exists to facilitate dialogue among NGOs and to help NGOs get a better hearing in the UN system. Increasing our engagement with CONGO provides us with an opportunity to strengthen our relationships with other organizations working on issues of key concern to WILPF, including human rights, security, sustainable development, environmental protection and, of course, peace and disarmament. During the three day CONGO General Assembly, WILPF was widely recognized for the information services we provide through our Reaching Critical Will and PeaceWomen projects, as well as our visible and active role in CONGO committees (Committee on the Status of Women, Committee for Disarmament, etc). We were also mentioned by name in the opening plenary session as an organization that has supported the goals and ideals of the UN system, since before its creation. We are closer to an agreed international programme. Hopefully you have been discussing the programme within your section, facilitated by your International Board member. There have been several exceptionally thoughtful contributions to make the programme stronger, to provide us with a focused and strategic agenda, to provide direction to the secretariat and to clearly articulate the steps we need to achieve our long term goals. Our next major task in this direction is for the staff to develop comprehensive work plans, in addition to committee and working group work plans. We hope to bring these together so that WILPF can be a stronger, more focused and cohesive organization, recognising that with a strong, focused programme we will be able to meet many of the structural and organizational challenges, and move WILPF forward, together. With best wishes for a joyful new year, Susi Snyder 3. Save the Date- Come to Geneva March 5, 6 At What Cost? In 2008, WILPF will team up with the Geneva Forum to mark International Women’s Day, as well as the 30th anniversary of the First Special Session on Disarmament of the UN General Assembly, which produced a visionary document at a high point of international consensus and alarm around the dangerous waste of human and economic resources on armaments. A panel discussion will take place on 6 March 2008 at UN Headquarters in Geneva during which experts and prominent persons will provide new analysis and shocking facts on the financial, political, environmental and opportunity costs of military security versus human security. In addition, WILPF will join forces with the NGO Working Group on Peace and the NGO Committee for Disarmament to organise a day of information, training and lobbying in Geneva on 5 March 2008. Please mark these dates in your diary and start planning your participation! These events will honour the late Randall Forsberg, a woman who left a remarkable legacy to those working for peace, disarmament and conflict prevention. She studied and made known global military policies, arms holdings, production and trade, arms control and peace-building efforts. Randall Forsberg combined expertise, passion and action, the very elements required today to prevent conflicts, to freeze and reverse the wasting of human and economic resources on weapons that kill and mutilate in wars that pollute and destroy. 4. Workshop on Women in Armed Conflict and UNSCR1325 Kozue was invited to attend the Workshop on Women in Armed Conflict and UNSCR1325 held in Bangkok, Thailand on November 27 and 28th. The workshop was organized by Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-Asia), who invited about 20 activists from Asia to discuss implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the Asia. There were activists from such areas as Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, East Timor, Indonesia/Ache, West Papua, Mindanao/Philippines, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Japan/Okinawa. Many of them were not familiar with UNSCR 1325, but through the intensive workshop, participants developed a network for further cooperation particularly in exchanging information on Peace Keeping Operations and Official Development Aid. 5. WILPF European Sections Statement on the EU Reform Treaty The European Sections of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom gathered in Stockholm, 17-18 November 2007; Reaffirms the League’s determination and conviction held since 1915, that humanity can and must prevent and eliminate war, and cease the investment of human and economic resources currently wasted through war and weapons which results in destruction of life and development, Welcomes the increased openness in the Council of Ministers and the implementation of an open and regular dialogue with civil society and women organisations, Underlines that the process leading up to the discussion at the European Council in June 2007 was unfortunately closed off from public and civil society input, Supports that equality is among the fundamental values and mentioned in the new Reform Treaty as an overall aim for the Union, Notes that the inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be a guarantee for the respect of human rights, civil and political rights, solidarity, anti-discrimination and freedom form fear and violence, especially violence against women, in all European countries, Notes that the procedures for the adoption of the "draft-constitutional treaty" have not reflected consistency among EU member states. The rejection of the draft in two countries, namely France and the Netherlands, reflects this inconsistency and lack of universal values which can be seen as a sign of crisis in the entire process of adoption of the Reform Treaty, Stresses therefore the importance of openness and visibility to the public in the Intergovernmental conference (IGC) that is to follow. This includes activities such as regular meetings between civil society, women’s organisations and the presidency of the Union, a website where civil society positions on the treaty revision could be posted and accessed by all member states and also public discussions, Insists that the European leaders place greater emphasis on preventive and civil crisis management measures and women’s rights, Rejects parts of the EU Reform Treaty which contain militaristic and interventionist components, such as the Article I-40 requirement that all member states should improve their military capacities, Calls on all states to give their support to a formal review of Euroatom, since the Euroatom Treaty, signed in 1957, is fundamentally flawed, outdated and undemocratic. Especially since the Security Strategy within the EU Reform Treaty does not address the employment of nuclear weapons as a means of military capacities, Opposes the ideas of the common European defence in the EU Reform Treaty such as the solidarity clause and permanent structured co-operation, Rejects the concept of “Security” developed at the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003, where the idea of national defence was abandoned as outdated and replaced by the notion of a preventive war concept, with in which the “defence lines often would be abroad”. In particular, we reject Article I-41, III-210 and III-211* by which military restructures are to be established, Believes that the deployment of any military capacities of European countries outside their own territories can only be legitimate if occurring under a UN mandate, Rejects the ongoing process of establishing EU Battle Groups with full operational capability in 2008 extending outside of Brussels within a radio of 6000 km, Strongly opposes the idea that “battle-missions” would be considered as a means of “peacekeeping” over which an executive organ, namely the “Council of Ministers” has the decisional power without having to ask for the consent of the EU Parliament (Article III 210), Strongly rejects the historically unique obligation in the draft Treaty for all member states to improve their militaristic capacities step by step and to create a so-called “European Defence Agency” (Art I-40, 3), which is promoting a new armament race with its 60 million Euro budget instead of promoting investment in civilian crisis management and peace building. The cynical announcement of EDA’s new Director Weiss, that 2008 should become ‘the year of arms acquisitions’, demonstrates clearly that its function is more than coordinating existing arms markets, it rather promotes a trade in death and destruction and is wasting resources that should be used to build practical and intellectual capacities for peace building, Demands that our governments divert funds from military budgets to consider social development and gender equality to address the range of threats challenging our globe, Stresses that a clear gender perspective should be incorporated in the entire EU security policy undertakings, that those civil and military personal who participate in the EU’s conflict solution efforts should receive training in gender sensitivity, Finally urges the Union to strengthen women’s empowerment for equal participation in political negotiations, democracy building, peace missions and peace building, as requested by the UN Security Council resolution 1325, and to implement the framework’s objectives within all international crises management efforts, * Draft Treaty of the EU Constitution, July 18th 2003. Luxemburg Amt für Veröffentlichungen der Europeischen Gemeinschaft, printed in Germany ISBN 92-78-40195-1. 6. WILPF Environmental Working Group E-Newsletter The latest newsletter from our Environment Working Group can be found on our website at http://www.wilpf.int.ch/environment/index.htm 7. WILPF Statement and Report from Biological Weapons Convention Meeting of States Parties The Biological and Toxicological Weapons Convention (BWC) was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. The Convention, about four pages long, bans the development, production stockpiling, or acquisition of biological agents or toxins of any type or quantity that do not have protective, medical, or other peaceful purposes, or any weapons or means of delivery for such agents or toxins. Under the treaty, all such materiel is to be destroyed within nine months of the treaty's entry into force. It has no verification provisions, no inspection protocols and does not prevent the development of agents for “defensive purposes”. Governments met in Geneva for the 6th BWC Review conference last year. At that time, agreement was reached on an Implementation Support Unit (ISU)- to provide support to States Parties. The ISU divides its work into four areas: administrative support, Confidence- Building Measures, support for national implementation, and universalization. The ISU has three staff people, and is one of the topics being discussed during the current meeting. During last years Review Conference, WILPF hosted a lunchtime seminar “Building Biocontainment Labs 3 & 4 in Boston and the Fight Back.” That seminar report can be found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/disarmament/BWC/seminarreport.html. In addition, WILPF produced reports from the Review Conference, found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/disarmament/BWC/index.html The Bio-Weapons Prevention Project, of which WILPF is a member, is producing daily reports from this conference. You can find these here: http://www.bwpp.org/2007MSP/MSP2007Resources.html WILPF’s report from this meeting can be found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/PDF/DisarmamentPDF/btwc2007.pdf Statement of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, The members of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom in 35 countries are pleased to see the States Parties of the Bioweapons Convention proceeding in their work despite the failure to approve and implement the inspection protocol in 2001. We do welcome the small step forward in establishing the implementation support unit at the 2006 Review Conference. This year as delegates consider the development and enforcement of national laws to bring States Parties into full compliance with all articles of the Bioweapons Convention, imaginative and forward looking proposals that can help more nations bring their own laws into compliance with the treaty are needed. Also needed is a solid foundations for a future effective protocol on monitoring and inspection. We continue to be concerned about the dangers of secret bioweapons development even in countries which have laws consistent with the treaty. Last year civil society organizations, including our own, brought concerns about bioweapons research that, while purportedly for defensive purposes, had aspects that suggested preparation for offensive use in violation of the treaty. WILPF’s U.S. Section submitted a paper on the efforts of Boston citizens to oppose a new BSL-4 Lab intended for research of incurable and always fatal diseases. Many citizens and scientists predict that such research will not only endanger the community, but also be used for offensive as well as defensive purposes. NGOs have reported that between 2002 and 2004 at least $44 billion had been allocated for such research in both U.S. civilian (often university) laboratories and the military laboratories into which that research feeds. In closed societies, citizens have few options to expose or protest questionable activities. Even in relatively open societies it is often difficult to obtain a hearing from government. Fortunately this year we can report that U.S. Congressional hearings have finally been held, but many troubling questions remain. To what body can civil society organizations report suspected violations of the treaty? Where are the international or regional watch-dogs that can help ensure implementation? Supposedly the Secretary General’s Office and the Security Council are the two international bodies that can currently receive reports of treaty violations. Can civil society organizations submit evidence to these bodies? Might the Implementation Support Unit be a possible recipient of such reports from watch-dog NGOs? Some such process, similar to the shadow reports NGOs can submit when their governments report on human rights treaty compliance, might help move States Parties toward full compliance, and away from dangerous and illegal indulgence in research and development for offensive purposes. In order to protect the planet from a biological arms race and the threat of biological attacks, the BTWC must be universal. WILPF calls on the BTWC to work towards universalization—both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative efforts should target those States who remain outside the Convention while qualitative efforts should focus on improving national implementation. National implementation is critical to the effectiveness of the Convention. WILPF calls on States Parties to strengthen national legislation and reminds States Parties that implementing some of the provisions of the BTWC require similar steps as implementing obligations under SC Resolution 1540. Lastly, verification mechanisms and an inspection process are essential elements missing in the BTWC framework. Excellent work in preparing the legal and technical framework in this regard has been done, and cannot be lost. There is still work to do, and the ripe political moment to achieve an inspection and verification regime is approaching. WILPF calls on States Parties to reconsider these important issues at the 7th Review Conference in 2011. Thank you. 8. WILPF Statement on International Human Rights Day On this coming Human Rights Day, 10 December 2007, the United Nations will launch a one-year intensive programme of activities leading up to the commemoration next year of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration under the slogan: dignity and justice for all of us. The adoption of the Universal Declaration was followed by the adoption of the Covenants of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights, and a vast array of human rights conventions and treaties promoting and protecting the rights of children, women, minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants disabled persons; eliminating racial and all other discrimination to name but a few. They have been ratified by the majority of UN Member States and together form a remarkable body of international human rights law. Implementation of these set standards remains a challenge. While the universal human rights standards and their oversight have been strengthened over the years, forces and trends (by states and private companies) that threaten and undermine these universal human rights continue unabated. Weapons profiteers develop machines that threaten and violate the human right to life and prevent the realisation of other fundamental freedoms. Our planet and its finite resources are threatened by those who choose profit over the right of future generations to exist. While billions of dollars are wasted extending the arms race to outer space and developing a new generation of nuclear weapons, 1.2 billion people have no access to clean water and are forced to drink filthy, disease-ridden water. Fatal shortages and mismanagement of water resources is already a source of conflict. It is predicted that two thirds of countries will experience severe water shortages by 2025, and if these predictions are accurate, resource wars will increase globally. Water is not a service to be commoditized, but a common good to be protected, and it is a human need, as well as a finite resource on our common globe. Since its inception in 1915, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has worked for all human rights to be respected. We have equally worked for the prevention of war and the eradication of militarism, believing that these conditions negate human rights. We are convinced that human rights cannot exist without peace and freedom. As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enters its 60th year, and as the new Human Rights Council struggles to monitor and implement the universal standards for justice and human rights developed through exhaustive debate by governments and civil society, women have the right, the responsibility, and the sense of solidarity to defend, reclaim and realise human rights for all, as they have done, and continue to do for themselves. The sad reality is that too often under the false pretext to protect women, women are denied the right to education, mobility, the right to their own body and the free choice to plan their own future. All over the world, women have to struggle for basic human rights on many levels. Exercising the right to have an equal voice in international policy-making and the questions of war and peace, The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom calls for:
9. WILPF Canada- Following up the Congress Comfort Women Resolution WILPF Canada put forward a resolution to the Bolivia Congress about “Comfort Women”. WILPF Canada supported the motion going through the Canadian Senate in Canada but it failed. However on 28 November it passed unanimously in the House of Commons. Subject: Canadian House of Commons passed the "Comfort Women" Motion on Nov 28, 2007 On November 28, 2007 the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed the motion to urge the Japanese government to take full responsibility to take full responsibility for the involvement of the Japanese Imperial Forces in the system of forced “comfort women” and to offer formal and sincere apology to the “comfort women” in the Diet and to continue to address those who are affected in the spirit of reconciliation! 10. WILPF’s PeaceWomen Project Action: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE This year, the PeaceWomen Project is participating in the 16 Days Campaign by sending an advocacy letter to one Security Council member each day for 15 days. This letter will call for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution on women, peace, and security. Each letter will include any commitments that the Security Council member has made regarding 1325, as well as any previous statements on gender-based violence. We will urge those countries that will be in the Presidency of the Security Council during the campaign (Indonesia and Italy) to use their unique status to bring attention to the issue of violence against women. Additionally, the letter will urge Security Council members to support efforts to eliminate violence against women in their country, and will direct them to the 16 Days International Calendar, where they can find information on 16 Days activities in their region. On the 16th day, a more general letter will go out to all members that will thank those members that have responded to our campaign, while restating our recommendations. Sample Letter : Dear Ambassador, We at the PeaceWomen Project of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom are writing to you as part of the 17 annual 16 Days Against Gender Violence global initiative to end violence against women. The theme of this year’s 16 Day’s Campaign is “Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women’’. The Security Council has a critical role to play in this in the context of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict. Through Resolution 1325 and several Presidential Statements over the last 7 years, the Security Council has strongly condemned sexual and gender-based violence in conflict and has made commitments to addressing it. However, women and girls continue to be subjected to widespread and systematic sexual and gender-based violence and impunity reigns. One of the significant challenges is ensuring that the Security Council, in its day-to-day work and in making decisions on international peace and security matters, takes into account such violence. On each of the 16 days of the Campaign from the International Day to End Violence Against Women on 25 November until International Human Rights Day on 10 December, we are addressing a member of the Security Council on this issue and call on you to ensure that the Security Council takes steps to fulfill its role and to turn commitments into reality. We welcomed your statement during this year’s Open Debate on women, peace and security and, in particular, …….. We look forward to you using opportunities for engagement on International Human Rights Day to make a statement that highlights this issue and calls for concrete and specific action. We also look forward to your ensuring the integration of these issues during the Council’s consultations and decisions during November and December and throughout the year. In particular we call on you, as a member of the Security Council to:
We also hope you will support local initiatives in your country and region that address sexual and gender-based violence. For more information on 16 Days Campaign initiatives in your country and region please visit : http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/kit07/calendar.html Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information and we look forward to following up with you on this in the near future. 11. WILPF Statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
12. Women and Cluster Munitions Despite the recognition of the importance of gender in experiences with landmines, little attention has been given to gender in the process to ban cluster munitions. In order to create a lasting peace and sustainable redevelopment of affected communities, the unique perspectives and needs of all individuals - of women, men, girls and boys - must be recognized and accounted for. Read the WILPF publication on Women and Cluster Munitions. http://www.wilpf.int.ch/PDF/DisarmamentPDF/ClusterMunitions/WILPF-Women-and-Cluster-Munitions.pdf |
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