Dear CPNN readers and reporters,
This month's CPNN features an article by the NGO, Nobel Women's Initiative, marking the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence which runs from November 25th to December 10th. As described in the discussion of the article, each of the 16 days features the story of another woman who is fighting against oppression and for equality.
The Nobel Women's Initiative reflects the increasing recognition by the Nobel Peace Prize of the leadership of women for peace. Members featured previously on CPNN include Leyman Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman (Nobel Peace Prize 2011), Wangari Maathai (2004, deceased in 2011), Shirin Ebadi (2003), Aung San Suu Kyi (1991) as well as Mairead Maguire and Betty Williams, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Jody Williams.
Increasingly, other peace prizes also recognize women's leadership: the Sean MacBride Peace Prize accorded this month to Nawal El-Sadaawi of Egypt and Lina Ben Mhenni of Tunisia; the Saparainah Sadli Award (Indonesia) awarded this month to Baihadjar Tualeka; and the National Peace Prize of Bolivia awarded in August to Ana Maria Romero de Campero.
Gradually the United Nations has come to recognize that women are the most effective peacemakers. Although the implementation is still not consistent, (see the CPNN CPNN article and discussion, Women's Role in Peace and Security), Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council gives a special place to women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. An example of women's leadership for peace was featured recently in a CPNN article about South Sudan.
Women are also most effective in development for a culture of peace. This kind of development, i.e. sustainable equitable development, is a radical change from development by domination which has always characterized the culture of war.
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The role of women in development is highlighted by two UN reports described this month in CPNN, one on Gender Equality, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability (entitled "Powerful Synergies") and the other on Family Planning, Human Rights and Development. Nor should we forget the consistent finding over many years by the United Nations Development Program that sustainable development depends principally on the education of girls and women.
In order to achieve their potential contribution to peace and development, women need equal access to resources, including bank loans and microfinance. This was the theme of the recent congress of the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers. Women also need equal access to the mass media. This is being promoted by the Francophone countries as described in this month's CPNN.
And finally, returning to the theme of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, CPNN has articles in the last month about a Tunisian youth initiative, as well as a wonderful video for women's equality in Pakistan which responds to the attack on the young woman literacy worker, Malala. Also, CPNN recently reported on an initiative to stop violence against women of indigenous communities in the United States. According to Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, progress is beginning to be seen, as governments and civil society are showing increased commitment to fighting sexual crimes and other violence against women.
