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Nobel Women's Initiative Update November 2009
Nobel Women's Initiative Update, July 2009
Nobel Women's Initiative Update - December 2008
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 9 December 2008
In Recent News
First Global Treaty Banning Cluster Bombs Signed in Oslo
Eleven years to the day following the signing of the Mine Ban Treaty, over 90 countries gathered last week in Oslo to sign the first global treaty on banning cluster bombs. Countries signing the historic document included Laos, Lebanon, the United Kingdom and—at the last minute—Afghanistan. The Convention on Clusters Munitions sets the highest standard to date in international law for assistance to victims and their communities. Nobel Laureate Jody Williams and the Nobel Women’s Initiative supported the process leading up to the signing. Now, Williams and other activists are encouraging countries to ratify the treaty—and move quickly ahead with implementation.
Learn more at www.stopclustermunitions.org.
Nobel Laureates Speak out on Darfur: Op-Ed in the Guardian
The on-line version of the Guardian (UK) last week published an editorial on Darfur by Nobel Peace Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams. Ebadi and Williams argue that the UN Security Council should offer its full support for the International Criminal Court’s efforts to indict Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir: “The people of Darfur deserve – and have clearly voiced a desire for – justice and accountability. And while the ICC is not the only vehicle for justice, it is the only vehicle right now.”
Read the full op-ed by clicking here.
Release Aung San Suu Kyi: Nobel Laureates Ask for UN Action
Jody Williams, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Shirin Ebadi in November 2008- highlighted the imprisonment of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in New York. Photo by Judy Rand.
Recent events in the Congo prevented UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon from meeting with a delegation of Nobel Peace Laureates last month in New York. So instead Jody Williams and her sister Laureates sent Ki Moon a letter, calling on him to do everything in his power to “secure the release of our sister Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and address the use of rape as a tactic of war in Burma”.
To read the full text of the letter, click here.
Nobel Laureates Call for End to Targeting of Iranian Women Activists
The Nobel Women’s Initiative stepped up its call last month for the end to the harassment and arrest of women human rights defenders in Iran. This followed the notable targeting of members of the One Million Signatures Campaign, including Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi. The Campaign is a grassroots movement launched over two years ago to promote gender equality in Iranian laws. Other members include Iranian-American student Esha Momeni, arrested by Iranian authorities on October 15. Almost a month later, authorities released Momeni on bail. To date, however, they are still holding Momeni’s travel documents and she is unable to leave the country.
Meanwhile, the website of the Campaign has received the Reporters Without Borders Jury Prize of the Deutsche Welle International Weblog Awards - The BOBs.
Learn more about the Campaign here: www.change4equality.com/english
Nobel Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire Visits Gaza
In October, Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire embarked on a four-day visit to Gaza with the Free Gaza Movement. The group arrived in Gaza on a ship carrying medicine, to bear witness to the humanitarian crisis there. She notes: “We as the human family must all learn to deal with our fears non-violently, and realize that our best hope for human security is not in occupation and siege, but in reaching out to make justice and our enemy our friend.”To download Mairead Corrigan Maguire’s full report, click here.
Take Action
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is coming to a close. The bookend dates-- November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10, International Human Rights Day-- were chosen to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights. Since its inception, over 2,000 organizations in approximately 154 countries have participated in the 16 Days Campaign.
Join UNIFEM's global movement and sign your name to the Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign!
Recent Events
Shirin Ebadi and Iranian Activist Women Speak at AWID Forum
A group of Iranian women activists—including Shirin Ebadi— discussed the One Million Signature Campaign with other women activists gathered for the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) 11th International Forum held November 14 to 17in Cape Town, South Africa. They joined Nobel Women’s Initiative staff and more than 2,000 women’s rights leaders and activists from more than 140 countries. The theme of the event was The Power of Movements. Ebadi and the young Iranian activists used their workshop to launch a provoking, inspiring video introducing the Campaign to a wider audience.
Campaign videos are now posted on the Change for Equality website at www.change4equality.com/english.
While in South Africa, Ebadi also published on op-ed, Peace and Justice Go Together, in South Africa's Mail and Guardian on the International Criminal Court and Sudan.
Nobel Women’s Initiative Honored by US Magazine for Empowering Women
Jody Williams, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Shirin Ebadi at 2008 Glamour Women of the Year Awards.The US Magazine Glamour awarded the Nobel Women’s Initiative the ‘Women of the Year Award’ on November 10 at a celebrity-studded event at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The organization was honored for its work to “empower women around the globe to fight violence, inequality and injustice In accepting the award, Jody Williams—along with sister Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Rigoberta Menchu Tum—noted that the seventh Laureate—Aung San Suu Kyi—remains under house arrest in Burma.
To learn more, check out the Glamour magazine article Nobel Women’s Initiative: The Peacemakers.
New Report from NWI
The report from NWI’s peace delegation this past summer to the Thai-Burma border, Sudan and Chad is now available!
Please click here to read a PDF version of the report, or contact us directly for a print copy.
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NWI Thanks Our Supporters for A Successful 2008!
We couldn’t have done it without you. This year we led a delegation to the Thai-Burma border, Sudan and Chad, greatly expanded our global advocacy work on peace, justice and equality—and grew our staff and resources! Our success is thanks to the many inspiring activists, volunteers and supporters who believe that a nonviolent world of security, equality and wellbeing for all is possible. Thank you!
Help Make a Difference in 2009
We invite you to join our efforts by making a contribution to the Nobel Women's Initiative. Your donation will help continue our work in 2009, as we seek to open new ground for discussion, debate and change.
Click here to donate.
Learn More About NWI
Visit our website to learn more about NWI - issues, news, media, and ways you can take action.
The Mission of the NWI is to work together as women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to use the visibility and prestige of the Nobel prize to
Nobel Women's Initiative Update - October 2008
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 10 October 2008
In Recent News
Women's Peace Delegation to the UN: Act Now on Darfur, Burma
Nobel Laureates Wangari Maathai and Jody Williams—along with actress-activist Mia Farrow—were at the United Nations on September 29 to call for immediate action to end the crises in Darfur and Burma. They also launched a report, detailing recommendations developed by the Nobel Women’s Initiative during its 3-week delegation this past summer to the Thai-Burma border, Ethiopia, Sudan and Eastern Chad. The women called on world leaders and the Security Council not to bow to pressure and delay justice to the people of Darfur. They also called for the international community—especially China—to stop supporting the campaign of violence against Burma’s ethnic nationalities, including the use of rape as a weapon of war.
Visit our website to read the media release.
Honoring the One-Year Anniversary of the Saffron Revolution
The Nobel Women’s Initiative launched a video on September 22 to mark the one-year anniversary of Burma’s nationwide nonviolent protests, dubbed the Saffron Revolution. In the video, Nobel Laureates Jody Williams, Rigoberta Menchu, Dr. Shirin Ebadi and Betty Williams call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Burma, including Sister laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. They also repeat their call for the military junta to heed the groundswell of support for democracy in Burma.Watch the video on our web site or check it out on the Encyclopedia Britannica blog.
Women Peace Laureates Support National Peace Council in Iran
We oppose any military action or threats of military action against Iran. We also demand a negotiated resolution to the current standoff between Iran and the United States. Those were the strong messages expressed in a statement released by the Nobel Women’s Initiative on June 30th in support of the National Peace Council. The National Peace Council is the brainchild of prominent Iranian intellectuals, academics, dissidents and other human rights defenders—including Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi.Read the full statement of support on our website.
Take Action
Urge Iran to halt threats against Shirin Ebadi and family
The Iranian regime has stepped up its campaign against Shirin Ebadi. On August 8, 2008, an article was published on the website of the official Iranian Republic News Agency (IRNA) leveling a series of attacks against Dr. Ebadi and her family, including false accusations that her daughter converted to the Bahai faith, and appeared to be related to Dr. Ebadi’s decision to defend in court seven members of the Bahai minority in Iran.
On August 11 the Nobel Women's Initiative issued a statement condemning such accusations against her.
In September, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs canceled a series of university lectures by Ebadi. The Iranian Foreign Ministry pressured their Malaysian counterparts, warning "Her public speaking engagements in Malaysia would cause a disruption of the good relations between the governments of Malaysia and Iran."
On October 1, while Ebadi was in Germany receiving the "tolerance prize", the IRNA warned that Ebadi was exploiting the "patience and tolerance" of government authorities.
Click here to demand an end the Iranian regime's attempts to intimidate and silence Ebadi and other human rights defenders.
Sign the People’s Treaty to Ban Cluster Bombs!
Only eight weeks left for your country to decide if it will sign the new clusters munitions treaty! The new treaty was unanimously adopted by 107 participating states on May 30th. But that treaty won’t become binding international law until those countries sign on the dotted line. A vote from you on the People’s Treaty will help ensure that your country does the right thing. Do your part to help ban cluster munitions now! You can also write your government to ask that they participate in the Oslo Conference where the treaty will be signed.
Find out more by visiting www.stopclustermunitions.org.
Recent Events
More Than 2,000 Students Join Laureates at ‘Peace Jam’
High school students from around the world joined six Nobel Peace Laureates from September 11 to 13 in Los Angeles. They were taking part in the 2008 Peace Jam Global Call to Action Conference—an ambitious event aimed at nothing less than changing the world. The conference is part of a youth movement that brings Peace Laureates together with youth to address some of the toughest issues today, including securing the rights of women and restoring the environment. The movement involves mobilizing the global community to initiate one billion 'acts of peace' over the next 10 years. With guidance from the Laureates, the students are busy organizing 'Global Call to Action Projects' that they will carry out in their local communities. Laureates attending this year’s Peace Jam included Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Jody Williams, Betty Williams and Shirin Ebadi—as well as the esteemed Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina.
Visit our website to learn more about NWI - issues, news, media, and ways you can take action. To unsubscribe from future updates of the Nobel Women's Initiative, send an email to info@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
Thank you for your support
The Mission of the NWI is to work together as women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to use the visibility and prestige of the Nobel prize to
Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 5 March 2008
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 5 March 2008
Celebrating International Women's Week Investing in women and girls
The Nobel Women's Initiative joins the global community in celebrating International Women's Week, today through 11 March. The United Nations has celebrated International Women's Day on 8 March since 1975, but the roots of the now global celebration began 99 years ago. In this Update you will read about the work the Nobel Women's Initiative is doing to strengthen and expand the global movement to advance nonviolence, peace, justice and equality. This week, and throughout the year, we encourage you to join us by investing in women and girls and supporting the advancement of women's rights around the world.
On the Issues
International spotlight shines on China's unscrupulous support of Sudan
In February, the Nobel Women's Initiative released an open-letter to President Hu Jintao of China, sending a clear and strong signal to the Chinese Government: You must act for peace in Darfur. More than 80 international figures, including parliamentarians, Olympic athletes, Nobel Peace Laureates, artists and actors, lent their names to this initiative, directing global media and public attention to China's support for the regime in Sudan. The following week, the Chinese government pressed the Government of Sudan to do more to allow peacekeeper deployment and increased humanitarian aid to the region.
You can read the letter and its expansive international media coverage on our website .
Nobel Laureates appeal for arms embargo on Burma
On 19 February, nine Nobel Peace Laureates, led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, appealed to the international community and United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Burma's military junta. The regime continues to use arms supplied by foreign governments to brutally oppress Burmese citizens. The appeal demands that the international community take tangible action on behalf of Burma's citizens.
Defending women's rights in Iran - one activist honored, others jailed and prominent magazine closed
One of the founding members of the One Million Signatures Campaign, journalist Parvin Ardalan, was awarded the 2007 Olof Palme Prize for her tireless efforts to bring women's rights to the forefront of the fight for democracy in Iran. On 3 March security officials barred Ardalan from leaving Iran to accept the award. Two other members of the campaign, Raheleh Asgarizadeh and Nasim Khosravi, were arrested and charged with "propaganda against the state" while collecting signatures in a local park, and Iran's sole feminist magazine, Zanan, had their publishing license revoked in January. Though the two activists were later released, the crackdown on the women's rights movement in Iran continues. For International Women's Day 2008, the women Laureates of the Nobel Women's Initiative proudly endorse a statement in solidarity with all activists fighting for universal human rights in Iran.
Take Action
Road to reconciliation begins in Kenya
Following the negotiation of a power-sharing deal on 27 February, Kenya's political parties agreed to a roadmap towards constitutional reform this Tuesday. Political unrest following the disputed 27 December elections has left over 1,000 dead and 300,000 displaced. In February, Kenyan Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai received death threats for her work towards a lasting solution of the crisis.
As with too many conflicts, there has been a significant increase of violence against women and girls since the violence began. Visit our Take Action page to find out how you can support efforts to end post-election violence against women by supporting women's organizations working on the ground in Kenya.
Recent Events
82 states take final steps to ban cluster munitions
The Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions ended on 22 February with 82 countries taking one step closer to an international treaty banning cluster munitions. At the conference Nobel Laureate Jody Williams delivered a strong statement on behalf of the Nobel Women's Initiative. The final terms and language of the internationally binding instrument will be negotiated in Dublin, Ireland from 19-30 May 2008.
Visit our website to learn more about NWI - issues, news, upcoming events, and ways you can take action. To unsubscribe from future updates of the Nobel Women's Initiative, send an email to info@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
Thank you for your support
The Mission of the NWI is to work together as women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to use the visibility and prestige of the Nobel prize to promote, spotlight, and amplify the work of women's rights activists, researchers, and organizations worldwide addressing the root causes of violence, in a way that strengthens and expands the global movement to advance nonviolence, peace, justice and equality.
The Vision of the NWI is a world transformed, a nonviolent world of security, equality and well-being for all.
Read more »Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 12 December 2007
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 12 December 2007
The Nobel Women's Initiative continues to appreciate your interest in our work. Here is a brief update on activities since our last update to you in October 2007:
NWI on the Issues
10th anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty seen as a "success in progress"
Ten years after the historic treaty negotiations that led to the signing of the Mine Ban Treaty in Ottawa, Canada, Nobel Laureate Jody Williams joined past and present campaigners in Ottawa, from 2-3 Dec, to commemorate the anniversary and celebrate a success in progress. Visit our website to learn more about the landmine issue.
While in Ottawa, Williams also met with members of Parliament and the media to address Canada's noticeable absence in prominent global issues, such as the crises in Burma and the Darfur region of Sudan.
Cluster Bombs: Citizens organize Global Day of Action
In November, the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) abandoned its responsibility by failing to prohibit the use, distribution, or stockpiling of cluster bombs. NWI was disappointed in their weak mandate and urged states to abandon the empty rhetoric of the CCW and fully invest in the Oslo Process, which is operating outside official UN channels to urgently move governments to action to ban clusters.
On 5 November, the movement to ban clusters garnered international support when citizens from more than 30 countries participated in a Global Day of Action, calling on their governments to ban this destructive weapon. On 7 December, 138 countries successfully concluded the third major international conference on cluster munitions, where a number of new countries expressed support for a comprehensive ban.
Mairead Maguire and Jody Williams speak out against Canada's barring of US peace activists
In October, sister Laureates Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Jody Williams issued a statement criticizing the Canadian government for barring the entry of US peace activists Medea Benjamin and Retired Colonel Anne Wright. Benjamin and Wright were barred because their names appear on a FBI Watch List due to prior arrests for nonviolent civil disobedience.
Peace talks in shambles in Sudan
The crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan continues to deepen. Key players were absent from the peace talks that began in Libya in late October 2007, and the long-awaited deployment of an African Union-UN peacekeeping mission has been delayed by consistent stall tactics by Sudan's government. In early December, Jody Williams wrote to the governments of France, the UK, Italy and Belgium urging action by the Security Council in response to a report by the International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor outlining Sudan's "non-cooperation" with the Court's investigation into crimes in Darfur. On 5 December, Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Jody Williams joined the international Darfur Fast to raise funds and awareness for civilian protection programs in Darfur, organized by the Genocide Intervention Network.
Women in Burma courageously fight for freedom
In November, detained Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi issued her first public remarks since 2003. She also met with members of her political party, the National League for Democracy. Despite these apparent advances, oppression by the military junta persists - the democratic leader remains under house arrest and no formal reconciliation talks have been scheduled.
On 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, women activists in Rangoon staged the first public display of opposition since the September crackdown against civilian protests. The Women's League of Burma, together with women's networks around the world, has launched a campaign to free women human rights defenders in Burma, highlighting female activists detained during the crackdown.
NWI Action Alert
Drop charges against Iranian women's rights activists
Five Iranian women's rights defenders have been arrested and criminally charged for carrying out their human rights activities. All are members of the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality . Urge Iranian authorities to drop the charges and immediately release these peaceful women's rights defenders. Take Action.
NWI Recent Events
Iran's Center for the Defense of Human Rights celebrates International Human Rights Day
On International Human Rights Day, NWI sent a statement of support to the Center for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) in Tehran, Iran. CDHR was founded by Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi to report violations of human rights, defend dissidents and political prisoners pro bono, and support the families of these prisoners. International support is especially helpful in Iran this year, as women and other civil society and human rights activists in Iran are under increased pressure and persecution.
Last week Shirin Ebadi launched a peace campaign calling on the US and Iran to observe international law. She specifically urged Iran to implement UN Security Council resolutions demanding the suspension of uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, the US intelligence community's latest National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran concluded that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003.
Maathai addresses climate change conference
Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai began her statement to the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, "I hope this conference is a turning point the moment when the world mobilized to save itself." The conference, taking place from 3-14 December, seeks to negotiate a new pact to succeed the Kyoto protocol which expires in 2012.
16 days of activism against gender violence - Another successful year
16 days of activism against gender violence takes place annually from 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, International Human Rights Day, symbolically linking violence against women and the human rights movement. We encourage you to learn more about this year's successful campaign and take a stand against gender violence. Two great resources are Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) Women's Network.
NWI thanks our supporters for a successful 2007
It has been two years since the Nobel Women's Initiative grew from an idea to an organization actively building peace with justice and equality. In 2007 we held our first international conference, expanded our activism on issues critical to peace and human rights, and launched a new website to better share our work and connect the global community.
None of this would have been possible without the generous support and contributions of our partners and friends.We would like to take this opportunity to thank our donors and all the incredible women we've had the pleasure of working with this year, including the inspiring activists we've collaborated with, our dedicated staff , and our incredible interns at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work who helped make our work possible in 2007!
Help make a difference in 2008
As the end of the year nears, the Nobel Women's Initiative invites you to join our efforts by making a contribution to NWI. Your donation will help continue our work in 2008, as we seek to open new ground for discussion, debate and change.
Make a difference - Support our work to strengthen the global movement to advance nonviolence, peace, justice and equality.
Visit our website to learn more about NWI -issues , news and ways you can take action . To unsubscribe from future updates of the Nobel Women's Initiative, send an email to info@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
Thank you for your support
The Mission of the NWI is to work together as women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to use the visibility and prestige of the Nobel prize to promote, spotlight, and amplify the work of women's rights activists, researchers, and organizations worldwide addressing the root causes of violence, in a way that strengthens and expands the global movement to advance nonviolence, peace, justice and equality.
The Vision of the NWI is a world transformed, a nonviolent world of security, equality and well-being for all.
Read more »NWI Update - Oct 2007
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 25 October 2007
The Nobel Women's Initiative continues to appreciate your interest in our work. Here is a brief update on activities since our last update to you in July 2007:
NWI on the Issues
Courageous Burmese lead Saffron Revolution
Since August, the citizens of Burma have taken to the streets in courageous protests, led by Buddhist monks and pro-democracy activists. Women leaders and nuns have also played a significant role in the demonstrations, as they have throughout Burma's long struggle for democracy. Recent protests - dubbed the Saffron Revolution for the color of the monk's robes - have been met with brutality and intimidation, with thousands of arrests and unknown numbers of killings. For a summary of recent events in Burma click here.
On September 29th, Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai hand-delivered a statement from six women Nobel Peace Laureates to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including sister Laureate, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi . On October 24, Suu Kyi had spent a total of 12 years in detention. We joined with activists around the world to press for her release.
Read on for how you can support the people of Burma. To follow events in Burma, visit our Burma News section.
Bush Administration's new sanctions undermine non-violent efforts of Iranian reformists
On October 25, we expressed concern over the Bush administration's announcement that it will increase unilateral sanctions against Iranian banks and designate Iranian groups proliferators of weapons of mass destruction' and supporters of terrorism'. The ratcheting up of US unilateral punitive measures against Iran will only make the situation for political reformists more difficult . The designations could bring a backlash against citizens working for human rights, undermining our efforts for democracy and reform in Iran. (Nobel Women's Initiative)
For opportunities for action and education on US- Iran relations go here.
The situation of women's rights defenders and opposition activists in Iran remains critical. In July, Shirin Ebadi wrote to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, to appeal for a UN delegation to visit Iran to investigate. In September, during a visit to Tehran, Ebadi ensured Commissioner Arbour met with women and human rights defenders.
Find out what you can do to support women's rights defenders in Iran.
Mairead Maguire presents human rights award in honor of slain Russian journalist
On October 5th in London, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, on behalf of all of her sister laureates of the Nobel Women's Initiative, helped launch the RAW in War Anna Politkovskaya Award. The award will be given annually to a woman human rights defender from a conflict zone who, like Anna, boldly advocates for victims. This year's inaugural Award was presented to Natalia Estemirova, a courageous journalist working in Chechnya for the human rights organization, Memorial.
The power of NO: Costa Rican women speak out against CAFTA
In September, the Nobel Women's Initiative supported our sisters in Costa Rica, Mujeres Contra el TLC (Women against the Free Trade Agreement), who mobilized an estimated 1,000 women from around the country in The Power of No, a national women's day in opposition to the ratification of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). On October 7, a national referendum in Costa Rica voted to ratify CAFTA. Mujeres Contra el TLC are refusing to accept the results and have announced their intention to continue their struggle. Read more here.
Rigoberta Menchu Tum makes history
Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum made a historic bid for the Guatemalan presidency in September. Her campaign was the first ever by a Mayan woman. Though violence and corruption pervaded the election, Rigoberta led a courageous campaign one that refused to bend to commercialization or corruption. Rigoberta placed sixth among a field of fourteen candidates, garnering 3 percent of the votes. The complex defeat in the polls was not a defeat in spirit as Rigoberta has said, the integrity of her campaign was a victory in itself.'
Despite the deadly campaign violence that killed nearly 50 people, election monitors report efforts to bring women and indigenous people to the polls boosted turnout.
How You Can Take Action
Tell the Chinese government you stand with the Burmese protestors
In our September 29 statement to Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, the Nobel Women's Initiative urged the United Nations Security Council, and China in particular, to take action to address to the crisis in Burma. The Laureates also called for an immediate arms embargo against Burma, a move supported by international human rights groups and Burma campaigns. China, a member of the UN Security Council and host of the 2008 Olympic Games, continues to provide Burma's regime with economic and military support. Read Jody William's opinion editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Freedom for Burma: China is propping up another despotic regime.
Join us in solidarity with courageous Burmese citizens by taking action and telling the Chinese government you stand with Burmese protestors and will hold China accountable for further bloodshed. Write to the Chinese embassy in your country and let them know what you think.
NWI expands Darfur, Sudan Advocacy; How you can help
Following on Jody Williams' leadership of the UN Human Rights Council's High Level Mission on Darfur in February 2007, and subsequent NWI activism, we are working on a comprehensive Nobel Women's Initiative strategy on Darfur. The next few weeks and months will be decisive in the conflicted region, with United Nations and African Union (AU) facilitated peace talks beginning in late October and a joint Africa Union-UN peacekeeping mission of up to 26,000 troops scheduled to be deployed to the region by December 31, 2007.
Erin Simpson is the lead on this project, and can be reached at esimpson@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
Join Jody Williams in calling for an end to atrocities in Darfur by promoting targeted divestment for Sudan. Last week, Nobel laureates and other international human rights leaders sent an open letter to Swiss bank UBS about its dealings with PetroChina, an oil company that has poured billions into Khartoum's coffers as the leading player in Sudan's oil and gas industry. Now UBS needs to hear from you!
Visit our Darfur Take Action page for other ways you can act.
Support Global Disarmament
Visit the new Disarmament Take Action page of our website to learn more about how you can support global disarmament. On the page you can:
- Sign a petition for a nuclear free world and learn other ways to take action to ban nuclear weapons.
- Find out where your country stands or send your government a message urging them to join the historic process to negotiate a new international treaty to ban cluster munitions by May 2008.
- And much more!
Recent Events
Williams and Ebadi celebrate 10th anniversary of Mine Ban Treaty
In September, International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) founding coordinator Jody Williams and her ICBL successor Liz Bernstein, now Director of the Nobel Women's Initiative, were joined in Oslo by sister Laureate Shirin Ebadi to represent the Nobel Women's Initiative at events marking the 10th anniversary of negotiations that successfully resulted in the Mine Ban Treaty. Discussions with diplomats and activists focused on the new cluster munitions treaty and other efforts to strengthen human security. Read more .
Women, Power & Peace
From 14 -16 September, Omega Institute and V-Day, in collaboration with the Nobel Women's Initiative, hosted the Women, Power & Peace Conference. The event featured renowned women activists Jane Fonda, Eve Ensler of V-day, Malalai Joya from Afghanistan, Rada Boric from Croatia,Carol Bebelle from New Orleans and Christine Schuler Deschryver from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among others.
New and Improved NWI Website
We recently launched our new and improved website at www.nobelwomensinitiative.org. A few key things you will notice:
- Home page Our home page now has direct links to the most recent News and Action alerts. In addition, an Important Highlights section allows you to easily view breaking news or stay up to date with important announcements.
- Subscription page- Users can now subscribe to our update by sending an email to info@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
- Donation information We've added a donation page with more information about how you can contribute to our projects and activities. An online donating feature will be available soon!
- Feedback - As always, to report a broken link or provide feedback on our site, please send an email to info@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
To unsubscribe from future updates of the Nobel Women's Initiative, send an email to info@nobelwomensinitiative.org.
Thank you for your support
The Mission of the NWI is to work together as women Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to use the visibility and prestige of the Nobel prize to promote, spotlight, and amplify the work of women's rights activists, researchers, and organizations worldwide addressing the root causes of violence, in a way that strengthens and expands the global movement to advance nonviolence, peace, justice and equality.
The Vision of the NWI is a world transformed, a nonviolent world of security, equality and well-being for all.
Read more »NWI Update - July 2007
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 25 July 2007
Since early 2006, sister Nobel Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire have worked together in the Nobel Women's Initiative, using the prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize to promote the efforts of women's rights activists, researchers, and organizations working to advance peace, justice and equality.
We continue to appreciate your interest in our work.
Here is a brief update on activities since March 2007:News
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi turns 62 and marks more than 4,250 days under house arrest
On June 19 NWI joined with Burmese opposition groups in observing the 62nd birthday of sister Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and calling for an end to her ongoing detention. Suu Kyi's birthday marked the 4,253rd day the democratically elected leader spent isolated from her people and the international community. The most recent extension of her house arrest came in May 2007, when Burmese authorities extended her sentence term by one year. Take Action for Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma.
Maguire calls for an end to 40 years of Israeli occupation in Palestine
Attending a June demonstration in London's Trafalgar Square, Mairead Corrigan Maguire called for an end to 40 years of occupation and a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Israel & Palestine. It is over 30 years since many of us from Northern Ireland stood here in Trafalgar Square, calling for a peaceful settlement to the Northern Irish conflict .Today in Northern Ireland the guns are silent and we are building genuine democracy. The Israeli/Palestinian people have suffered enough and want peace. It is time for [their] governments to start talking. June marked the 40th Anniversary of the Six Day War, in which the Israeli Army took military control of the Palestinian Gaza Strip, and West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In April Mairead was shot by a rubber bullet fired by Israeli military forces at the site of the Apartheid Wall in Bil'in village. Read more about the incident, including a statement from Mairead.
Williams leads Mission and issues scathing report calling for United Nations action
After leading a High Level Mission on Darfur in February, Jody Williams presented a scathing report to the UN Human Rights Council in March. The hard-hitting report asserts that the Sudanese government and the international community have failed in their responsibly to protect the citizens of Darfur and charges Sudan's government with taking part in horrific war crimes, in concert with Janjaweed militia. "Killing, rape, torture, arbitrary arrest, repression of political dissent and abuses of political freedoms occur with chilling frequency," Williams said. Click here to read a letter Williams wrote describing the hardest part of her work on Darfur- dealing with the political infighting in the Human Rights Council and watching them try to find a way to "respond" to the Mission's report "without really doing anything to protect the people of Darfur."
In late March the Human Rights Council passed a resolution calling for the creation of a group to monitor specific issues in the Sudan. The group is led by Dr. Sima Simar of Afghanistan, Special Rapporteur on human rights in Darfur and a member of the High Level Mission to Darfur.
In June, Williams and Archbishop Desmond Tutu addressed a special session of the European Parliament and offered suggestions of concrete actions that can be taken to stop the carnage in Darfur. Read their op-ed printed in the Christian Science Monitor. Also read a May op-ed by Williams and Mia Farrow who realized they were inadvertently funding the atrocities they were trying to stop in Darfur by investing in companies pouring billions into Khartoum's coffers.
To find out what you can do visit our Take Action page.
Women of Oaxaca gather in resistance
In April, the women of Oaxaca, Mexico organized a Gathering of Women in Resistance to boldly speak out against state-sponsored repression in their city. Inspired by their extraordinary levels of organization and leadership, NWI applauded their efforts. We recognize and stand with the women activists who suffer threats and persecution for their work to build a more just and equitable society .Their achievements give us hope and energy to continue our own struggles. Read more here.
International launch of ICAN
In April NWI welcomed the launch of The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a new campaign that focuses on the roots of the nuclear weapons problem. "Nuclear weapons are futile against any of today's real security threats. Nuclear weapons cannot address climate change, depletion of water & environmental degradation, poverty, hunger, overpopulation, pandemics such as AIDS, failing states, non state armed groups or terrorists, organised crime, or trafficking in drugs, people and arms." (ICAN) ICAN's mission is to bring together health professionals, mayors, lawyers, parliamentarians and environmental and human rights advocates to work together to build a truly global, coordinated nuclear disarmament network with the aim of a treaty to ban the development, possession and use of these weapons.For more information visit ICAN's website www.icanw.org.
NWI urges Canada to show leadership on climate change
In March, alarmed by Canadian Prime Minister Harper's announcement that Canada wouldn't meet its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, NWI wrote to Harper and published an op-ed in the Toronto Star. As Nobel laureates from five continents, we are profoundly concerned that climate change will exacerbate tension over scarce resources and undermine efforts to solve conflict in some of the world's poorest countries. We urge Prime Minister Harper to re-commit to the international process to tackle climate change.
Action
Speak out against the US backed Iraq Oil Law
In June, NWI released a statement criticizing the Bush administration's pressure on Iraqis to pass the Iraq Oil Law which allows much of Iraq's oil revenues to flow out of Iraq and into the pockets of U.S. oil corporations. We oppose the decision of the US government to require that the Iraq government pass the Oil Law as a condition of continued reconstruction aid ..The Iraq Oil Law could deny the Iraqi people economic security, create greater instability, and move the country further away from peace. The U.S. government should leave the matter to the Iraqi people. (Nobel Women's Initiative)
US Congressman Jim McDermott sent a copy of the statement to every member of the US Congress and, in Iraq, a growing network of activists, led by Yanar Mohammad, co-founder of the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq, are working together to oppose the Law. Click here for more information and an update on the status of the Law.
Raise your voice in opposition to the Iraq Oil Law by signing a petition here or visit our Take Action page.
Tell Iran campaigning for women's rights is not a 'threat to national security'
Persecution of women's rights defenders in Iran has intensified in recent months, with the arrests of dozens of students and activists who are involved in the Million Signatures Campaign, a grassroots petition and education project calling for gender equality in Iran's legal system. NGO shut downs, police brutality and harsh sentences- more than 3 years in prison and lashes for some women- signal a dangerous crackdown on rights activists inside the country. Charges against them have ranged from endangering national security to propaganda against the state to taking part in an illegal gathering. Visitors to Iran, including scholar Haleh Esfandiari have also been targeted by the hard-line government. Click here to read NWI's call for Dr. Esfandiari's release and see our Take Action page for how you can help.
Find out how you can tell Iran campaigning for women's rights is not a 'threat to national security'
Events
The Nobel Women's Initiative's First International Conference: Women Redefining Peace in the Middle East & Beyond
"Women Redefining Peace in the Middle East & Beyond" was held in Galway, Ireland in May 2007. Five NWI Nobel Laureates were joined by some of the most prolific women's rights activists in the world for three days of dialogue aimed at sharing lessons learned and examining ways the international community can play a greater role in strengthening women's approaches to peace and security. Our first conference brought together 80 women from more than 30 countries, including a host of international human rights activists, disarmament experts, researchers, well-known journalists and ex-political prisoners.
Speaking at the conclusion of the conference the Laureates told our guests We have been here together to share our experiences in our various responses to violence against women [from our work during the troubles in Northern Ireland to our ongoing efforts to end conflict in the Middle East]. We have talked about the continuum of violence at the local, national, regional and international levels and that we must respond to violence on these levels as well. Violence is a choice. Whether it is the violent choice of a man to beat the woman he supposedly loves .or the violent choice of illegal invasion or occupation.
The Laureates added that they feel strongly mandated by conference participants to use their combined visibility and access to power to advocate for greater roles for women in achieving peace around the globe. Over the coming weeks and months, [we] will be making representations to Governments and global institutions to realise the important contribution that women can play in combating violence and securing peace. (excerpt from the Laureates' Closing Statement). Read more about the conference, including our closing statement. For a list of some of the participating organizations and supporters of the conference click here.
OpenDemocracy.net covered the conference in a series of podcasts, blogs and articles by participants which are published on www.openDemocracy.net.
The Lima Conference on Cluster Munitions- a bold initiative with growing support
During the Lima Conference on Cluster Munitions, the second in a series of four meetings aimed at negotiating a new international treaty banning cluster munitions, Jody Williams offered the NWI's full support and congratulated the Cluster Munition Coalition and its leading NGOs for their role in pushing this issue to center stage. It is such visionary leadership that continues to demonstrate that new ways can and must be found to address the problems of the human family .New times and new challenges call for new, bold and inspired responses.
The Lima Conference concluded with strong and widespread support for a new treaty, with 28 new countries joining the 46 nations already committed to rapidly negotiating the treaty. The next meeting will be held in Vienna in December. For more information and to take action: Cluster Munition Coalition.
The Nobel Women's Initiative's 2006 Annual Report is available online by clicking here .
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Nobel Women's Initiative Update - 1 March 2007
The Nobel Women's Initiative was established just over a year ago- in January 2006 - by sister Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire.
Our first year working together was an exciting one! 2006 brought opportunities for us to work together to strengthen US-Iran relations and address the impact other political and military conflicts are having everyday on the lives of the world's citizens- in Darfur, Burma, the Middle East- issues we believe are critical to building a more peaceful, just world, particularly for women.
We continue to appreciate your interest in our work.
Here is a brief update on activities since October 2006:
News
Jody Williams Leads United Nations Mission on Darfur
In February Jody Williams led a UN Human Rights Council Mission on the Darfur region of Sudan, mandated by the Council to assess the human rights situation in the region. The six-member mission was briefed in Geneva and Addis Ababa in early February, but was unable to visit Darfur as the Sudanese government failed to issue visas for Mission members. The Mission continued its work gathering information by visiting refugees in Chad and other Darfurians outside of Sudan. Jody Williams met with refugee women in a camp near the Darfur border and reported In the space of the little over one hour of time we had with the women, we were told stories of eight rapes -- six of those women were in the room. All were from different villages and all had been gang raped. The Mission is currently in Geneva preparing a report to be presented to the Human Rights Council on March 16th. Click here to read more about the Mission, including Jody Williams' full report from the refugee camp.
46 Countries Agree to Conclude a Treaty to Prohibit Cluster Munitions
Last week, the Oslo Conference on Cluster Munitions ended in great success, with 46 countries agreeing to conclude a treaty prohibiting cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians by the end of 2008. A series of follow-up meetings to negotiate the treaty was agreed to and will be held in Peru in May, Austria in November and Ireland in early 2008. Jody Williams participated in the Oslo Conference, supporting this critical process and our CMC colleagues, joining 100 NGO representatives at a parallel civil society forum. Read her report here.
Last summer the world witnessed the unreliable, inaccurate and inhumane reality of cluster munitions when after the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah ended three civilians were still being killed or injured every day by cluster submunitions that failed to explode on impact. "Cluster munition bomblets scatter everywhere and can fit in the palm of a child - they hang from trees and sit in school yards where they wait to maim and destroy said Habbouba Aoun of the Landmine Resource Centre (LRC) in Lebanon. The contamination by an estimated one million submunitions that failed to explode means people's lives will not return to normal in southern Lebanon for years.
With 46 nations committing to rapidly negotiate a new international treaty on clusters, states still outside this process must join the momentum to abandon these indiscriminate weapons and protect civilians, above all women and children who account for up to 80% of causalities during armed conflicts.
13 Nobel Peace Prize Winners Seek Visas to Visit Aung San Suu Kyi
On January 5th 13 Nobel Peace Laureates worldwide from Seoul to Washington - applied for visas to visit sister Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, still under house arrest in Burma. "The people of Burma deserve freedom," said Jody Williams. "It will not happen, though, unless we press the governments of the world to take action." Williams and Shirin Ebadi attempted to submit their visa applications in Washington DC but were barred from entering the Burmese Embassy. Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire submitted applications by mail but were not granted visas. (No Laureates have been granted visas as of today.) The collective action also called on the UN Security Council to support a resolution then under consideration calling the deteriorating situation in Burma a serious risk to regional peace. The week after the Laureates' action, China and Russia vetoed the resolution, which South Africa also opposed. Read an oped on South Africa's vote by Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi here .
Rigoberta Menchu Tum Announces her Candidacy for President
In late February Rigoberta Menchu Tum announced she will run for president of Guatemala in the September 2007 elections. If elected she will become the first indigenous woman head of state in Latin America. Announcing her candidacy Menchu said "We want to give hope to young people and women, not only women in Guatemala but women all over the world who have waited a long time for a chance to participate." Menchu has said she is running as a candidate of reconciliation and unity in a country wrought with a violent political history.
A New United Nations Agency for Women
In November a UN High Level Panel appointed by Secretary General Kofi Annan made the recommendation that a new UN Agency for Women should be created- a move that would significantly increase the status and resources of work on gender equality in the UN. NWI joined women's organizations from around the globe in welcoming the recommendation and calling for its full and rapid implementation. Women's groups are now working to ensure that governments commit financially and politically to the Agency. Read more here.
Virtual Observations of the Nicaraguan Elections
In November NWI participated in virtual observations of the Nicaraguan Elections organized by the Feminist International Radio Endeavor (FIRE). NWI issued a statement on women and the elections, emphasizing how women's rights are being traded for electoral grandstanding and partisan gain.
Action
Call for Constructive US-Iran Engagement
In January, Nobel Women's Initiative continued its call for a non-violent solution to the conflict between the US and Iran by partnering with the Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation and the National Iranian American Council to hold discussions in Washington DC on improving US-Iran relations. Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi spoke to the press and to the public about the need for peaceful, strategic dialogue between the presidents, governments and civil societies of both countries. Neither the people in Iran nor those in the US want a war. Let us talk, said Dr Ebadi. She emphasized that military action against Iran would be devastating, as well as hinder efforts by human rights activists and political reformists within Iran. It's the people of Iran that have to gain their own freedom and human rights improvements. Improving our country is our responsibility, not that of US soldiers. Click here for Opportunities for Action.
Take Action to Stop the Silencing of Women's Rights Activists in Iran
On January 27 three Iranian journalists and women's rights activists were arrested without charge and held in Evin Prison in Tehran. The three women were active supporters of the landmark women's rights campaign "One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws" currently underway in Iran. In an effort to silence activists and halt the campaign, Iranian authorities have repeatedly blocked access to the campaign's website from within Iran. Shirin Ebadi has agreed to legally represent the three women arrested, saying Freedom of expression is the first step to democracy. The objective of the authorities was to create an atmosphere of fear and terror among women's right activists and journalists. Some of our best journalists have been imprisoned in the last few years and a number of them are still in prison. Take Action to support freedom of expression in Iran.
Events
The Nobel Women's First International Women's Conference: "Women Redefining Peace in the Middle East & Beyond"
The Nobel Women's Initiative's First International Women's Conference: "Women Redefining Peace in the Middle East & Beyond," will be held in Galway, Ireland May 29-31, 2007. 70 women's rights activists and researchers from around the world have been invited to join us for discussions to help us understand how women in the Middle East are experiencing violence and conflict and examine creative approaches women in the Middle East and elsewhere are using to respond to it. We'll explore how we can strengthen integrated women's rights approaches to peace, security and access to justice. Read more about our conference here.
Another World Is Possible, 2007 World Social Forum, Nairobi
In January Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi joined Wangari Maathai in her home country of Kenya to participate in the 2007 World Social Forum, which brought more than 50,000 activists to Nairobi. The Laureates participated in workshops, panel discussions, a peace-tree planting ceremony hosted by the Green Belt Movement, and a CIVICUS press conference highlighting how civil liberties are being sacrificed in the name of the "war on terror". Williams noted that in the US, immediately following September 11, the White House said that people who spoke out challenging US policy in response to 9/11 should be considered traitors. We must not allow this global war on terrorism' to take away our rights as global citizens. NWI and the Green Belt Movement hosted "Women Building Another World," a panel discussion emphasizing the importance of individual women taking collective global action. World Social Forum began in 2001 as an alternative to the Davos Economic Forum and "has placed social justice, international solidarity, gender equality, peace and defense of the environment on the agenda of the world's peoples."
Money and Movements
In November Liz Bernstein represented Nobel Women's Initiative at the "Money and Movements" groundbreaking event sponsored by AWID and Semillas. The international gathering brought together more than 300 women's rights activists to strategize with partners and donors about funding challenges and opportunities, and develop creative strategies to increase the access, quality and quantity of funding for women's organizations.
10th Anniversary of the Guatemalan Peace Accords
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