Women, Peace and Security Include us, don't ... - World YWCA

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CC 2Contents03 | Editorial04 | YWCAs Around the WorldPeace with justice has always been an importantpriority for the World YWCA. In thissection, we highlight YWCAs working incountries that have been through conflict.HIV and aids18Reinterpreting Violence fromthe Perspective of Women Livingwith HIVFeature6Women,Peaceand Security:Human insecurities includinglack of social, political, economic andenvironmental security prevent womenfrom attaining gender equality andempowerment.Take Action11 | Keeping UNSCR 1325 alive:Ensuring women’s full participation inpeace-building and conflict resolution12 | Case studies: Post-election crisis inKenya and ZimbabweYoung Women on the Move14 | Include us, don’t patronise usYouth offer recommendations forUNSCR 1325Leading Change16Journey to lasting peace:When conflict inspires womento find solutions. How the YWCA of DRCchampioned UNSCR 1325Briefing20 | From the World YWCA23 | People23 | SupportersPresident: Susan Brennan General Secretary: NyaradzayiGumbonzvanda Editor: Kaburo Kobia Co-ordinators: SarahDavies, Sylvie Jacquat Distribution: Fiona Wilkie. Articles may befreely reproduced with acknowledgement to World YWCA CommonConcern ISSN 1025-4099. All artwork, images and photographyis protected by copyright and may not be reproduced withoutpermission. ©2008 World YWCA.Common Concern is published in French and Spanish, contactworldoffice@worldywca.org to order.On the Cover: Andrea Núñez Argote, YWCAIntern 2009 and Board Secretary for the YWCAof Naucalpan, Mexicowww.worldywca.org
CC 3EditorialSusan BrennanWorld YWCA PresidentWe are called to bepeace makers. Butpeace is not passivityand peace makingrequires strength, courage andpersistence. In the home, in themarketplace, in the village and in theworld, women’s safety demands oururgent attention. The statistics aregrim: one in three women worldwidewill be a victim of violence in herlifetime. YWCAs across the worldare responding by providing shelter,protesting against war, supportingwomen in conflict areas and urgingwomen’s participation in democracyand conflict resolution. This issue ofCommon Concern explores a key toolin our advocacy for a world free fromviolence: the United Nations SecurityCouncil Resolution 1325 on women,peace and security.In 2007, at the initiative of theYWCA of the Democratic Republicof Congo (DRC), the World YWCACouncil resolved to promote thisresolution, mandating our movementto educate ourselves and othersabout women’s right to participate inbuilding the peace.Pacific peace-advocate, SharonBhagwan Rolls, reminds us in thefeature article that security for womenis not just about living without war, butrequires us to be safe in private andin public. The YWCA of DRC explainsin the Leading Change section thatwomen must have access to decisionmakingto ensure their needs are metduring and after conflict. Our GeneralSecretary contributes to Take Action:women must realise that power is nevergiven; even where there are quotas onemust assert, affirm, negotiate, positionand present oneself as a leader.The stories in this issue illustratehow YWCAs are building leaderscommitted to creating a safe world,working with former female soldiersin Liberia, participating in peaceprotests in Colombia, supportingwomen in conflict zones in Georgiaand the Middle East, providing asafe place in Zimbabwe—every day,YWCAs are helping women live livesfree from violence.Building on this commitment, thechosen theme for the 2011 WorldYWCA Council is ‘Women Creatinga Safe World’. To be held in Zurich,Switzerland from July 10-16, 2011, theCouncil theme speaks to the very coreof our World YWCA vision—a fullyinclusive world where justice, peace,health, human dignity, freedom andcare for the environment are promotedthrough women’s leadership.Arundhati Roy 1 wrote: “I am notadvocating tolerance, or acceptance.There has been more than enoughof that. I’m advocating a war of noisybeauty, of voices raised, of stories told,of songs sung loudly in the streets.”The YWCA is a powerful chorusof women leading change—with ourwords, our actions, our service andour vision, we make a mighty song forpeace. •1 Arundhati Roy, from India, is a young femaleactivist and author of ‘The God of Small Things’.www.worldywca.org
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