Terrorismistä, pakolaisista ja ilmastosta

WILPF joulukuun jäsenkirjeen aiheena ovat mm. terroristihyökkäykset, pakolaistilanne ja meneillään oleva ilmastokokous.
Saa lisää tietoa tilaamalla jatkossa jäsenkirjeen tästä suoraan itsellesi.

WILPF on the Latest Terrorist Attacks

WILPF France and WILPF US have each issued statements regarding the latest terrorist attacks. Both Sections give their views on the impact of these attacks on the already fragile world peace and especially on the refugee crisis.

The French Section points out that although stringent security measures after terrorist attacks in Paris are necessary they are not going to bring us safety. What happened in Paris is a part of a global conflict which we must strive to solve through dialogue and non-violence.

WILPF US warns that the latest terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and Nigeria not only added to the continuing brutality of the Syrian war but brought us the greatest threat of all – fear. Fear built by tearing down our trust and belief in one another.

59.5 million people were displaced by conflict over the last decade and have sought refuge and aid from those who hold out their hands. To destroy those connections, those altruistic principles on which a democracy is built, is the insidious legacy of terrorism.

WPS 2015 Commitments – Call to Action

During the WPS Debate on 13 October 2015, a record-breaking number of member states gave statements to the Security Council, highlighting the progress made in-country on behalf of the WPS Agenda and noting what still needs to be done. Within many of these statements, Member States made commitments towards the implementation and financing of the WPS Agenda. PeaceWomen has posted commitments as part of our monitoring of the 2015 Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security.

Keep the Borders Open!

In November, WILPF participated in the delegation of the Nobel Women’s Initiative #WomenRefugeesWelcome for a fact-finding mission to Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. The aim was to see first hand what travelling the’ Balkans’ route to Western Europe, is really like for those fleeing conflict.

The women and men we met had to leave everything behind and embark on an extreme and dangerous journey. Now they face the possibility of Europe closing its borders.

Last month EU interior and justice ministers agreed to ”immediately implement the necessary systematic and coordinated checks at external borders.” This means that many will be trapped between borders with no way of moving in either direction. They will have no choice but seek to cross borders illegally. This all leads to growing number of smugglers and middlemen who take advantage of their desperate situation. This is in our view a very short-sighted and counter productive approach.

WILPF urges the politicians of the EU – do not close the borders! Increase financial support to refugees in neighboring countries and prevent the desperate choice they take in risking everything to flee.

We echo the Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams in saying ”We must not let what happened in Paris be used to encourage fear, xenophobia and intolerance.” We have been here before, in 1938, let us not repeat our failure.

WILPF on an Advocacy Mission to Brussels

WILPF’s Crisis Response programme organised an advocacy mission to Brussels on UNSCR 1325 in Palestine and Syria together with the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN). The tour took place from 29 November to 1 December 2015.

The mission’s objective was to provide European Union decision makers with updated knowledge from the field in the areas of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and Violence against Women in conflict in both Syria and Palestine. The mission provided both general and specific recommendations.

The mission provided both general and specific recommendations on how to include women in the political processes of Syria and Palestine, justice and accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations, particularly those committed against women, as well as humanitarian aid and refugees.

WILPF, EuroMed Rights and their Palestinian and Syrian member and partner organisations called on the EU, Member States and the European Civil Society organisations to put in place specific actions to better protect women and girls in Syria and the oPt, and effectively enhance their role in conflict resolution and peace building.

Update on COP21 in Paris

The UN Conference on Climate Change (COP21) is taking place in Paris from 30 November to 11 December. This conference will be an opportunity for countries to meet, discuss, and reach an international agreement about global warming.

As Climate Change is a cause close to WILPF’s heart, we will of course be there. Our work will focus on fossil fuels, civilian and military nuclear matters, environmental and social justice, climate refugees, indigenous peoples and gender equality.

For more information about COP21, please contact Heidi Meinzolt: heidi (a) meinzolt.de. If you are able to attend the events in Paris, please email Heidi with the dates you will be there and a contact number you can be reached at during the summit.

If you are interested in joining the COP21 working group, please email the Secretariat directly: secretariat (a) wilpf.ch.

Transnational Cooperations and Human Rights

The Human Rights programme invited representatives from WILPF Cameroon, Sweden and Colombia to Geneva to participate in the annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights.

This visit was part of the Human Rights programme’s strategy to actively engage on human rights violations by transnational corporations and in particular to advocate for a legally-binding treaty on business and human rights.

Participating in the forum enabled the Sections to develop a wider understanding of this topic, to grasp the critical issues and their relevance for WILPF’s human rights work on social justice.

Participants from the Sections and the Human Rights programme were also able to discuss in more detail potential collaboration on this topic such as in-country research and advocacy activities.

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The Human Rights programme, in coordination with WILPF Sweden, is currently drafting in coordination with WILPF Sweden a shadow report underlining issues to be scrutinised by the CEDAW Committee during the review of Sweden planned for February 2016.

Three main themes regarding Sweden’s compliance with the CEDAW Convention are raised in the report: the area of security, arms exports and due diligence with regards to the activities of Swedish multinational companies outside of Sweden (in particular in the textile industry which mainly affects women workers).

The report is planned to be published and available on WILPF’s website mid-January 2016. The Human Rights programme also raised several issues with members of the CEDAW Committee during its pre-session on France regarding arms exports and French multinationals.

WILPF Report on the 15th Anniversary UNSCR 1325

As follow-up to October 2015 and the 15th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325, PeaceWomen has published a Report on the 15th anniversary of UNSCR 1325.

The report provides an overview of UNSCR 1325+15 events sponsored by or co-sponsored by WILPF, and therefore only represents a fraction of the Women, Peace and Security events held during UNSCR 1325+15.

The report also features an annex with key resources as a tool for accountability with respect to “October and Beyond.”

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