UN Mission to Fiji Encouraged to Meet with Women Peacebuilders
24 April 2007
Dear H.E. Jehangir Khan,
On the occasion of the high-level United Nations team to Fiji to discuss United Nations assistance in the peace process, the NGOWG would like to echo the wide concern that women have not been present at the peace negotiating table. Any recovery plan for Fiji will not be complete without the equitable participation of women who champion peace, human rights and democracy and their inclusion in the design, delivery and evaluation of all development programmes and plans. Political instability resulting from conflict creates a host of disadvantages for women which is difficult to recover from.
In recent years, Fiji has played a lead role in supporting women, peace and security issues in the both in the Pacific region and globally, including national commitments to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1325.
Women and women's groups in Fiji, in particular, have played an active, vital role in the building and maintenance of peace, democracy and human rights. Their experiences and resources must be urgently called upon and utilized, as called for in Security Council resolution 1325.
The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security respectfully urges the United Nations Mission to Fiji to implement SCR 1325 by:
Meeting with key women's organizations working in this field. Leading women peacebuilders will be assembled together in Nadi, Fiji from the 24-29 April for the Regional Conference on Women, Peace and Human Security hosted by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, UNDP and femLINK Pacific at the Tokatoka Resort. We encourage the mission convene a meeting with them, so that they may present a concise list of over-arching priorities facing women and human security and recommendations for further action.
Sincerely yours,
Gina Torry, Coordinator NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security
Member Organizations
© 2008 NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security