Women | Tools | Technology: Building Opportunities and Economic Power
Ashoka’s Changemakers, ExxonMobil, and The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) have issued a global challenge for innovations which enable women to access and use the power of tools and technology to expand their opportunities for economic advancement. See Women | Tools | Technology for competition details and deadlines.

Women ONE2ONE
Women ONE2ONE is a growing voice made up of people who know that maternal health, girls’ education, economic opportunity and women’s empowerment are key to fighting poverty and preventable disease for everyone. This campaign recognizes women as change-makers, community-builders and peace builders. Harness your power to connect, take action and shape the future. Learn more about Women ONE2ONE.

Women for Women International
Join Me on the Bridge
To honor the resilience of millions of women survivors of war around the world, Women for Women International is hosting a global campaign called Join Me on the Bridge on International Women’s Day: March 8, 2010. Women from Rwanda and Congo will come together in peace on a bridge between their countries to demand an end to war and to demonstrate that women can build the bridges to peace and development. At the same time and in solidarity, women (and men!) will come together on bridges throughout the world, creating a truly global movement that says NO! to war and YES! to peace and hope. Learn more about Join Women on the Bridge.

Playwright Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer-Prize winning work, “Ruined,” was staged on the evening of November 9 at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC with the cooperation of The Enough Project. A powerful depiction of the plight of Congolese women during ongoing war, “Ruined” is the product of Nottage’s conversations with various women in the Democratic Republic of Congo during her travels to the state. Told in a bar in a remote mining town, the stories of Mama Nadi, Sophie, Salima and others illustrate the effects of a war waged largely upon women’s bodies. Sophie, portrayed by Condola Rashad, is damaged, the mark of war left on her body, she has been cast out from her family and community –she is “ruined.” Mama Nadi, read by Portia, agrees to take Sophie in as one of the many girls who work her bar, presenting a unique dialectic and provoking all to consider instances in which the oppressed might become an oppressor. As Nottage explained in a panel discussion following the staging, she intended to provide an accurate representation of the reality in Congo, of ethics blurred by conflict and the remarkable resilience of the women she has encountered there.

Chouchou Namegabe of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Vital Voices honoree and internationally-recognized journalist Chouchou Namegabe was also featured in the panel discussion, alongside Enough Project Co-founder John Prendergast. Chouchou shared her perspective of the war and ongoing violence, speaking on the use of rape and sexual violence as a tool of war. Chouchou is the 2009 Knight International Journalism Award Winner, recognized by the International Center for Journalists, she called for the guarantee of freedom of the press in Congo. She went on to insist:

“Our voices must be heard. Silence must come to an end…Change must come from the women. Change can come to Congo, and it must come from the women of Congo.”

John Prendergast spoke on the role of conflict minerals such as coltan, used widely in the production of electronics including cell phones, in fueling and perpetuating the war in Congo. Prendergast urged that American consumers voice their concerns to corporations that benefit from “the human misery” that results from the illegal mineral trade.

To take action on Congo, visit: Raise HOPE for Congo –The Enough Project

To support Chouchou Namegabe, visit: Vital Voices Women of the Congo Training Fund

On October 16, along with Allida Black, project director of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers of George Washington University, Vital Voices co-hosted Somali parliamentarian and women’s advocate Asha Hagi during a roundtable discussion entitled, ‘Women’s Vital Voices in Peacekeeping’. Hagi will serve as an expert panelist during the Education and Empowerment session at Vital Voices’ upcoming Human Rights Summit, ‘The Courage to Lead’, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland. Co-founder and current Chair of Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC), the Nobel Peace Prize nominee has served as a remarkable voice for women’s rights in a nation destabilized by violent and divisive clan warfare. When civil war broke out in 1991 following the ousting of dictator Siad Barre, Somali society was torn apart by inter-clan fighting that left women without an identity of their own, for they were defined in accordance with birth clan or marriage clan loyalties. Since she was part of an inter-clan marriage, Asha Hagi felt that she was neither part of one clan nor the other, she explains:

“I had no full identity…I realized what I needed most, what women needed most, was the womanhood identity.”

Resolved that women must be involved in peacekeeping negotiations, Hagi advocated for the formal recognition of Somali women’s identity and rights, an innovative concept in the state. Recognizing that clans had a legitimacy that women did not, Hagi and her fellow activists formed the Sixth Clan, a clan created entirely for Somali women, regardless of other clan associations. With great struggle and effort, the Sixth Clan was officially recognized in 2000 and Hagi was the first woman to be given a seat at peacekeeping negotiations during the Arta peace talks.

A veritable pioneer of women’s rights and empowerment in Somalia, Hagi shared in her address to the human rights advocates and NGO representatives gathered that she has refused to allow women to be viewed as victims, despite the oppressive circumstances they face. In what has been regarded as “a bloodless revolution,” the movement for women’s equality in Somalia has begun to “change [women’s] lives through giving them a political voice,” said Hagi.

Continue Reading »

October 1 – Presiding Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator John Kerry (D-MA) joined Senators Ted Kaufman (D-DE) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in holding a hearing entitled ‘Violence Against Women: Global Costs and Consequences’, marking “the first time that violence against women, on a global scale, has been the subject of a hearing of the full Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” Senator Kerry said. On this “ground-breaking occasion,” as described by the Chairman, Senator Kerry announced that he plans to introduce the ‘International Violence Against Women Act’ (IVAWA). This bill intends to extend the principles of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a bill with domestic focus passed in 1994, to the global sphere. Kerry explained:

“[IVAWA is] designed to put the machinery of our government to work on reducing global violence against women.”

Testimonies were heard from two panels, the first of which included Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer and Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Stephen Rapp. In her comments, Ambassador Verveer insisted, “the momentum is building for us to be able to make a clear and concrete difference in the lives of women and girls who are affected by gender-based violence.” Ambassador Rapp spoke on violence perpetrated against women and girls in conflict zones, suggesting that “internationalized mechanisms” are needed for prevention efforts and stating adamantly, “rape itself can be an act of genocide.”

The second panel consisted of various experts including Major General Patrick Cammaert, Deputy President of the International Crisis Group Donald Steinberg, President of the International Center for Research on Women Dr. Geeta Gupta, and President and Founder of the Family Violence Prevention Fund Esta Soler. Major General Cammaert, who has firsthand witnessed the brutality in conflict regions such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, said that sexual violence is “cheaper than bullets, more silent than bombs,” and thus increasingly a choice tactic for warring rebels. Mr. Steinberg shared his experience of peace negotiations in Angola, expressly stating that peace agreements have and will continue to fail if women are not included in peacebuilding processes. Dr. Gupta and Ms. Soler both noted the critical importance of engaging men and boys in a global effort to eradicate violence against women and girls. Domestic initiatives such as Coaching Boys into Men, which has proved very effective, must be scaled-up as part of a global commitment, said the experts. Ms. Soler urged that it is essential that a comprehensive, cohesive plan be implemented to address violence against women:

“It is time for a bold and transformative initiative…violence against women is an emergency every day.”

Continue Reading »

On September 30, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chaired a United Nations Security Council session on sexual violence in conflict, during which Resolution 1888 to end the use of sexual violence as a tool of war was unanimously passed by the body. Sponsored by 61 countries, the resolution related a “demand for the complete cessation by all parties to armed conflict of all act of sexual violence with immediate effect,” as AFP reports. The measure further affirms the link between safeguarding women’s rights and the promotion of peace:

“effective steps to prevent and respond to such acts of sexual violence can significantly contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security.”

Clinton chaired the meeting, entitled ‘Women, Peace and Security’, as part of the rotating presidency of the council, currently held by the United States. She noted that the resolution focused on an issue that “has received too little attention.” President Obama commented on the passing of the resolution:

“Today, the United States joins with the international community in sending a simple and unequivocal message: violence against women and children will not be tolerated and must be stopped.”

Resolution 1888 urges that states undertake “comprehensive legal and judicial reforms…without delay and with a view to bringing perpetrators of sexual violence in conflicts to justice.” Additionally, the measure creates a high-level UN special representative position to spearhead efforts to eradicate sexual violence in conflict.

UN demands end of sexual violence as tactic of war-AFP

President Barack Obama secured Tuesday a summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting, which took place on the margins of a major UN conference, was the first between the two leaders since December, when negotiations fell apart during the three-week Gaza war. President Obama remarked following the meeting, “My message to these two leaders is clear: despite all the obstacles, all the history, all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward.”

Eight months ago Mr. Obama recommitted the U.S. administration to advancing the peace process to achieve a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Speaking in Cairo on restarting American relations with the Muslim world, President Obama promised that his administration would prioritize finding a solution to the conflict. “I intend to personally pursue [a two-state solution] with all the patience and dedication that the task requires,” the President told a hopeful crowd at Cairo University. His appointment of former senator George Mitchell as Special Envoy to the Middle East parallels the plan forwarded by Vital Voices to leverage leaders with critical experience working toward a solution to the Troubles in Northern Ireland to help train and inspire advocates of peace in Israel. The Young Women Leaders Building Peace and Prosperity was conceived through the same notion held by Sen. Mitchell when he remarked, “There’s no such thing as a conflict that cannot be ended. Conflicts are created conducted and sustained by human beings. They can be ended by human beings.” It is the goal of Vital Voices to invest in young women in Israel who will work together to create a foundation for Middle East peace.

Continue Reading »

On September 21, citizens around the globe observe the International Day of Peace, first initiated by the United Nations in 1981. This year, the date marks the culmination of a 100-day campaign for disarmament led by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who insisted on September 18 “We must disarm! We must have peace.” Emphasizing that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation contribute to development and safeguard the rights of the vulnerable, Mr. Ban further added that nations must choose to disarm,

“Because the world is over-armed and peace is under-funded.”

International human rights organizations, student groups, and individual peace activists are honoring the day of global ceasefire in various ways. In previous years, International Peace Day has been commemorated with mass polio vaccinations, as happened in the remote regions of Afghanistan in 2007, when some 1.4 million children were vaccinated. One artist and filmmaker, German Jeremy Gilley, has for the past 10 years been meeting with international leaders and experts, campaigning for peace and promoting the day as “a 24-hour-long platform for life-saving activities around the world.” Through his organization, Peace One Day, Gilley intends to reach 3 billion people with the message of peace by 2012.

In one example, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has ordered all members of the Afghan Armed Forces not to resort to violence on this day, and news reports indicate that the ceasefire is being observed with only isolated incidents of violence.

As UN marks International Day of Peace, Ban makes appeal for disarmament-UN News Center

Peace One Day

On August 14, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer held a press conference and question-and-answer session on gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ambassador Verveer recently accompanied Secretary of State Clinton on a visit to eastern Congo, where in Goma she commented that she “had an opportunity to assess the seriousness of the conflict there, particularly with the ongoing use of rape as a tool in that long-time conflict, and the toll that it is taking on the civilian population.”

In response to a question from a rape counselor in Congo, Ambassador Verveer addressed the checks and balances to be put in place for the $17 million plan to address sexual violence, announced by Secretary Clinton during her visit. Ambassador Verveer informed that the funding to be provided will reach international and grassroots organizations, particularly mentioning the Heal Africa and Panzi Hospitals in Congo as needy recipients.

A representative from the Enough Project, which addresses genocide, relayed a question to Ambassador Verveer about the plans of the United States, and Secretary Clinton specifically, to tackle the root causes of the decade-long conflict in Congo, said to be connected largely to the illicit trade of the mineral coltan, used in the production of cellular phones and other technologies. The Ambassador acknowledged that the “conflict minerals” in question “have fueled the conflict to a great extent and resulted in both the profiteering and that by the armed groups, as well as the contributing, ongoing brutality.” With “basically no regimen of regulations, accountability mechanisms, [or] transparency” in place, Ambassador Verveer commented that such a regimen is sorely needed, and noted legislation that has been introduced in Congress to address the accountability of U.S. companies in benefiting from conflict minerals.

Fielding various other questions, Ambassador Verveer expressed a willingness and need for continued engagement and vigilance of the conflict in Congo, particularly as it relates to the widespread perpetration of sexual violence against Congolese women and girls.

Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer on Gender-Based Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo- U.S. Department of State

U.S. Secretary of State Clinton in Goma. Vital Voices Honoree Chouchou Namegabe first from left. (Photo: U.S. Department of State's Photostream)

In the realization of a pledge to address pervasive sexual violence in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Secretary of State Clinton unveiled a $17 million initiative on August 11 to combat the gender-based violence that she referred to as “evil in its basest form,” as The New York Times reports. Through the plan, the American government will “help train gynecologists, supply rape victims with video cameras to document violence and dispatch military engineers to help train Congolese police officers to crack down on rapists.”

During a meeting with doctors and human rights advocates in Goma, Secretary Clinton commented:

“This problem is too big for one country to solve alone.”

The Secretary further added that in discussions with Congolese President Kabila, she pressed the leader to take necessary steps to protect civilians and facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons.

John Prendergast of the Enough Project, a group addressing genocide, praised Secretary Clinton’s visit and said that U.S. engagement with the conflict in Congo must also address the root causes of the war, believed to be tied with economic interests and the illicit mineral trade of coltan: “The U.S. should work with the electronics industry to trace audit and certify this trade, and pressure neighboring states like Rwanda to stop smuggling. Like with the blood diamonds that fuel wars in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Angola, until the economic driver for conflict is addressed, there is no chance for peace.”

Continue Reading »

Deputy UN Police Advisor Ann-Marie Orler recently pressed for UN peacekeeping missions to actively enlist more women officers, citing positive examples of forces in Timor-Leste, Liberia, Kosovo, Southern Sudan, Haiti, Burundi and Sierra Leone, where specialized units focus on gender-based violence. Orler further noted:

“The equal participation of female police officers at all levels of the United Nations…empowers the female population in reporting cases of sexual and gender-based crimes.”

Read the full story: UN peacekeeping missions urged to bolster number of women police officers- UN News Center