PRESS BRIEFING BY UN FUND FOR WOMEN

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY UN FUND FOR WOMEN

A new book entitled Women at the Peace Table: Making a Difference was released at Headquarters today by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

At a press briefing, correspondents were told by Flavia Pansieri, Deputy Director of UNIFEM, that the first reason for publishing the book was the constant eruption of conflicts in too many countries and regions of the world. The search for peace and sustainable durable settlements was a daunting task that at times seemed never ending.

The second reason for publishing the book, she continued, was based on actions that had been successfully taken. When women had insisted on sitting at the peace table, they had contributed to the quest for durable agreements and settlements.

Also briefing correspondents today, all of whom contributed to the new publication, were: Hanan Ashrawi, Director of the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Mary Brownell, President and Founder of the Liberian Women's Initiative; and Senator Piedad Cordoba Ruiz, Head of the Senate Human Rights Commission of Colombia.

Ms. Pansieri said that the book showed that it was absolutely essential for women to participate equally in discussions that would lead to the resolution of conflicts and the definition of durable peace agreements.

Ms. Ashrawi told correspondents that any effective and just attempt at peace should not just include women, but should also be based on women's perspectives. There had to be a gender-sensitive awareness of the substance of peace and a comprehension of the risks being taken. What had to be addressed as well, in any peace effort, was giving the process credibility, constituency, permanence and legitimacy. Women had not only effectively prepared public opinion and discourses for peace, they had taken serious risks by participating in peacemaking and gained legitimacy for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Domestic internal realities could not be separated from external pursuits and challenges, Ms. Ashrawi went on to say. So, while external peace was being pursued, internal peace had to be made. In that context, Palestine had both the nation-building process and the peace process. Both were interdependent and both were in serious trouble. "You cannot claim self-determination for a nation and withhold it from half your population", she said. "You cannot claim to fight injustice and oppression if you exercise it internally."

So, Palestine was adopting an integrated, comprehensive, and interconnected approach to fight the mentality that fostered control, oppression and conflict, Ms. Ashrawi continued. Such an approach had to be comprehensive and integrated, without succumbing to the idea that certain conflicts or issues, particularly those pertaining to social justice, could be postponed or deemed to be of a secondary nature. Those issues were all part of the mosaic for creating a peaceful and more just world.

UNIFEM Briefing - 2 - 1 March 2000

Ms. Ashrawi said the new UNIFEM book was not in itself an answer to peace issues. It was, however, an important contribution and part of an incremental effort to give such issues a reality and a human face and substance. It would perhaps contribute to the efforts of other women and other peacemaking initiatives and provide the view from within. "We need to articulate a courageous discourse for peace and justice from a gender-sensitive approach", she said. Such an approach must ensure the full and effective decision-making participation of women.

Ms. Brownell told correspondents that four years into the civil war in Liberia, women were only concerned with relief activities, such as taking food and clothing to centres for the displaced. There was, however, a group that was advocating peace and encouraging women to get involved in the peace process. That was when the idea came to her to have women organize a peace movement; to ask for their voices to heard, and participate in the decision-making policies of the country.

Through radio broadcasts, Ms. Brownell went on to say, invitations were extended to women from all walks of life to assemble at the City Hall. Large numbers of women turned out, the idea was sold to them and they bought it. On 9 February 1994, the Liberian Women's Initiative issued a position statement, which was intended to let the world know that "we the women were taking a step forward to get involved in the peace process", she said.

"As usual", continued Ms. Brownell, "they did not take us seriously". The Initiative, however, kept the international community informed about what was taking place in Liberia. "We attended all peace conferences, whether we had the money or not", she said. In fighting its battles, the Initiative stressed the idea of disarmament, peace and reunification of the country, which was divided at that time.

Ms. Brownell said, "We wanted to able to move through Liberia freely as we did before. We set out on our mission, took all the risks and were able to accomplish it, even when the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) thought that disarmament and elections should take place simultaneously". The Women's Initiative objected to that seriously, went to the then Chairman of ECOWAS and President of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, and expressed their strong opposition.

It was stressed that the guns must be put down before any election could take place, Ms. Brownell said. "Finally, they saw our point and that was what happened. If there is any semblance of peace in Liberia today, we can boast that we played a major role in bringing peace to our country and people", she said.

Piedad Cordoba Ruiz told correspondents that, as a Colombian Senator and as a woman, she had recently played a very major role in the peace process in her country. For the last 40 years, Colombia had been experiencing an internal armed conflict, aggravated further by such worldwide factors as drug trafficking. Such additional complications rendered the solution all the more difficult.

Ms. Cordoba said the most important part of any process was its credibility and its legitimacy. "We cannot talk of a process being legitimate when women are not part of the solution, but rather part of the war". While the role of women had been very weak, it was nevertheless very important in finding a solution to Colombia's armed conflict. That was due to the vision of Colombian women and her status, which was the same as that of the rest of the world with regard to discrimination.

Nevertheless, continued Ms. Cordoba, Colombian women had had important roles to play in the peace process, both at the individual level and at the group level. Regarding the latter, she cited the creation of the Peaceful Route of Women. "It could be said that we have participated in the search for an understanding and a solution between the armed groups and the Government", she said. Her role as President of the Commission of Human Rights had allowed her to understand and emphasize: the need for dialogue, particularly with the guerilla movements of the left; the importance of making publicly visible the violations of human rights; and the impact of the war on women and children.

Ms. Cordoba went on to say that her task had been very difficult, but nevertheless very important, because it meant that Colombian society had to see itself in a mirror and see how human rights had been violated. It, thus, gave her great satisfaction to say that despite the constant criticisms and mobilization, and also the fact that she was kidnapped for a period of time by right wing groups, women had achieved some visibility. Nevertheless, much more still needed to be done, she stressed.

Drawing attention to the fact that panellists had spoken about the high risks that they had all taken, a correspondent wanted to know what had given them the courage to take the actions that they had taken.

"I think you are seeing a few isolated voices that have dared to break the stereotype, and all the constraints and restrictions on women's work, particularly in politics and public life", Ms. Ashrawi said. Those voices can now be seen in roles where they challenge the prevailing wisdom or the prevailing injustice. As for the question about why take risks, "I am sure there are many women who remain invisible or silent who took the same risks or even greater ones".

Continuing, Ms. Ashrawi said the basic qualitative difference was that what was being witnessed now was both a women's base and a power base for the empowerment of all women, for the vindication of the language of human rights and the rule of law and the injection of the essence of justice and peacemaking. Societies where the prevailing culture was male dominated and patriarchal obviously presented added challenges and risks.

Ms. Brownell said the deteriorating situation in Liberia -- slaughter, atrocities and human rights abuses -– brought the point home to women that they had a role to play. They could not sit back and watch the country be destroyed. "Both we and our children were at risk", she added. Liberian women had never been exposed to that kind of violence before and it gave them the inspiration, faith and courage to come forward. "If we did not do that, the war would have just continued and continued", she said. "Necessity compelled us to step into the race."

Ms. Cordoba said there were a number of historical references going back to the nineteenth century on the participation of women in peace processes. Many women throughout the world, including in Colombia, were participating in peacemaking by weaving networks and looking for spaces to participate in peace processes.

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