Beyond Conflict Prevention: Moving Forward with Resolution 1325
NGO side event at the 50th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
February 27, 2006

Good afternoon, thank you for coming to discuss the ways in which women's contributions to the prevention of conflict are being carried out all over the world. It is our common goal to further the ways that we as NGOs, governments, and international entities can promote and support the work of remarkable women in this field.

My name is Waverly de Bruijn; I am the coordinator of Global Action to Prevent War, a transnational coalition of organizations committed to the implementation of a detailed 72-step program, which if carried out, would decrease the occurrence, duration, and severity of armed conflict. One of our priorities is advocating for the full implementation of SC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security because of our strong conviction that the contributions of women in the prevention and de-escalation of conflict is of crucial importance.

A recently published resource, which many of you have received, is the publication “Beyond Conflict Prevention: How Women Prevent Violence and Build Sustainable Peace.” Published by Global Action to Prevent War and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom in October 2005, this book aims to emphasize the need for both an increase in gender sensitivity within the field of conflict prevention, as well as to highlight the unique and varied ways that women and women's organizations are effectively contributing to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

This publication breaks down the structural and operational work being done by women to prevent violence and conflict from occurring. It begins with operational conflict prevention which consists of short-term, targeted mechanisms that identify, contain and de-escalate imminent conflict. Operational prevention highlights both the gathering of early warning indicators that identify the eruption of conflict, as well as the “early response” measures taken by women's organizations on the local, regional and national level.

Case studies of women's organizations worldwide that are performing grassroots operational conflict prevention are impressive and inspiring. In Africa, the Women of Zimbabwe Arise are identifying grassroots early warning indicators by organizing themselves into community teams, each trained to identify and raise awareness of the oppression by the government of Zimbabwe on its people. In Nigeria , women have functioned as early responders by facilitating nonviolent negotiations between their communities and Schell petroleum--with both the non-violent process and the outcome agreement lauded as a breakthrough. The Christian Science Monitor wrote in 2002 that “Protests by women are becoming the most effective tool to force social improvements by US multinational oil companies doing business in Africa .”

“Beyond conflict prevention” also discusses structural prevention work, which is the advancement of longer-term solutions for ending violence and preventing it from recurring in four areas: security , human rights and good governance , justice and reconciliation and sustainable socio-economic development .

One example of this work includes the Naga Mothers' Association in Northeastern India , who establish security in their communities by mediating among conflicting factions in order to maintain and expand ceasefire arrangements.

Defining and promoting security specifically during post-conflict reconstruction is another area where women's organizations play an active role. Whether participating in security sector reform in South Africa, reducing the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Trinidad and Tobago, or filling the gaps in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration in Sierra Leone, the unique ability of women's organizations to address security locally and to promote a culture of peace should be supported.

In order to build and maintain a peaceful society, human rights and good governance must be promoted. In Cambodia , for example, the Center for Social Development supports and documents women's acts of resistance to bribery by governmental employees and advocates the election of anti-corruption officials.

To enhance justice and reconciliation in post-conflict countries, women's organizations in Korea , Serbia , Burma , Haiti , and Burundi have initiated cross-conflict dialogue, demanded compensation for victims of Sexual Violence, and contributed to an emerging culture of understanding in their countries. As Gyung-Lan Jung of Women Making Peace in Korea said of cross-conflict dialogue, “Through this understanding, we are preparing for unification, decreasing the potential for conflicts after reunification, and strengthening the basis for integration of the North and South.”

And lastly, within the framework of Structural prevention, women around the world are working to create a sustainable socio-economic environment for their communities. This involves work much like caring for HIV/AIDS patients and orphans in Kenya , providing insight into contingency planning after the Tsunami in Asia, and transforming conflict through economic self-sufficiency for youth in Zimbabwe .

The above efforts to provide structural prevention of conflict reinforce each other, and ultimately move the world to a less violent future. As Kofi Annan Stated, “an investment in long-term structural prevention is ultimately an investment in sustainable development…Effective conflict prevention is a prerequisite for achieving and maintaining sustainable peace, which in turn is a prerequisite for sustainable development.”

The positions, resources and expertise of all of us in this room today are varied, and the question of how to best move forward with the objectives of Resolution 1325 are diverse. The last section of “Beyond Conflict Prevention” offers best practices and priority recommendations for the international community to support women's efforts at preventing violence and to integrate gender awareness into conflict prevention. I encourage everyone interested to read this section with an understanding of what area your country or organization is best-suited to help move the women, peace and security agenda forward.

Copies for those of you who have not yet received one, will be available after the workshop this afternoon and on the Global Action to Prevent War website. Thank you.