Friends...
Please take action today. Ten years ago, the United Nations Security Council called for strengthening women’s participation in peace building through UNSC Resolution 1325 on women and peace and security. But its implementation by many countries has been far too slow.
As the world’s largest women’s foundation supporting the advancement of women’s human rights, the Global Fund for Women has supported 2,000 women’s groups in over 140 countries working on building peace and ending gender-based violence. We know about the impact of war and conflict on women’s lives.
On this 10th anniversary we’re asking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the leadership of the United States in ensuring that peace processes around the world have the full participation of women at all stages, including on post-conflict reconstruction. Women’s innovative and courageous actions to demand accountability for human rights violations during conflict, their role in sustaining their communities, and the alternatives they create to address conflict, must all be recognized. Please take action and sign our petition.
Through Resolution 1325 the Security Council expressed concern that civilians, particularly women and children, account for the vast majority of those adversely affected by armed conflict and increasingly targeted by armed combatants. UNSCR 1325 also reaffirmed women’s important role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace building. UNSCR 1325 stressed not only the importance of women's equal participation in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, but the need to increase their role in decision-making with regard to conflict prevention and resolution.
Yet despite UNSCR 1325, and the valiant work women have done on the ground, they are not at the table when warring sides sit down to negotiate peace. Women are not able to give voice or offer direction on how peace-building and reconstruction efforts must be handled from a gender-perspective, or who should be held to account for unspeakable violence committed against women and girls during conflict.
Please sign our petition today as we call on Secretary Clinton to take this opportunity to breathe life into UNSCR 1325 and make it a reality. We need her leadership, and your support, to ensure UNSCR 1325 is fully implemented, now.
With appreciation,
Shalini Nataraj
Vice President of Programs
P.S. Please help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures for 10 years of UNSCR 1325 by forwarding this email to friends and colleagues who care about women’s rights.
Source: Global Fund for Women
