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Leading Women Peacebuilders from Nepal and Liberia Call for Participation of Women in Governance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gina Torry, Coordinator
Tel: 1-212-682-3633
Fax: 1-212-682-5354

Leading Women Peacebuilders from Nepal and Liberia Call for Participation of Women in Governance

27 February 2006

At the 50th Session of the CSW, the NGO Working Group is pressing for the full and equal participation of women at all levels of governance (in conformity with Security Council resolution 1325) who are peace, human rights and gender sensitive.

    The NGO Working Group calls on the Security Council and governments to: 1. Develop national policies to ensure women's equal participation in peace and security decision-making 2. Establish a working group on women, peace and security in order to fully mainstream a gender perspective into all relevant Security Council resolutions and in the mandates of all UN peacekeeping missions. 3. End impunity for gender-based violence and protect women's human rights

Joining the NGW Working Group for the CSW are two leading peace-builders from Nepal and Liberia:

Shobha Gautam (Nepal)

Shobha Gautam is a journalist and women's rights activist who has written extensively on the situation of women in conflict and has been advocating for the rights of women for the past twenty-two years. She is President of the Institute of Human Rights Communication in Nepal (IHRICON), Vice President of the Beyond Beijing Committee and Coordinator of Shantimalika (Women's Networking for Peace) and Executive Member of Nepal's Citizen Peace Commission. Ms. Gautam has worked with the South Asia Women's Institute for Peace Studies as well as with International Alert as a National Consultant on "UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Women, Peace and Security in Nepal." Ms. Gautam work as the Organizer and Coordinator of a research program on women's participation in politics was instrumental in having all major political parties sign the Declaration on Enhancing Leadership of Women in Major Political Parties. Ms. Gautam is also a senior media, peace and gender trainer, providing training to journalists all over the country on conflict, gender and human rights reporting.

Leymah Gbowee (Liberia)

Leymah Gbowee is the Coordinator for Women in Peacebuilding Network/ West African Women for Peacebuilding (WIPNET/WANEP) and has served as the Commissioner-designate for the Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ms. Gbowee has developed and facilitated workshops on Trauma Counseling, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding and demonstrates a lifelong commitment to social justice and sustainable development for community transformation. As a Coordinator for WIPNET/WANEP, Ms. Gbowee has provided leadership and direction to the network of women peacebuilders in nine of Liberia's fifteen counties to promote collaborative conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives among community based women's groups and organizations.

To arrange interviews or meetings, please contact: Gina Torry at 1-212-682-3633 ext. 3121.