Women Crossing the Line theme group

Statement

Approximately 18 women participated in the theme group (from Bosnia, Britain,
Chechnya, Chile, Croatia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia,
Spain, the Ukraine and USA).

Although there are dangers inherent in colluding with traditional roles played
by women in caring for the vulnerable, and in building relationships and
communicating, it was apparent that women's particular skills developed in
these domains should be acknowledged, valued, supported and drawn upon by the
peace movement at large.

1. Empowerment

Women-only
spaces and programs are important in empowering women.

Examples include the International Fellowship of Reconciliation's Women
Peacemakers Program

Empowerment involves issues which are indivisible and interconnected, issues
such as women's human rights (including reproductive rights), democracy, and
building cultures of peace.

2. Gender

Violence
against women and the violence of war are closely related--tolerance for
violence against women creates societies where war is inevitable.

The challenge is how to tackle these inter-related problems without threatening
men, how to help men realize that their liberation is intrinsically linked with
women's liberation.

Women and men have to realize that taking on gender issues is essential if we
are to work more effectively towards a better life for all.

For many women peace work is intimately connected with issues of daily life and
of survival.

Donors sometimes seek to influence or even determine which issues women's
groups work on: working with war rape survivors was a "fashionable" issue.

Some important issues for women, such as reproductive freedom or domestic
violence, are ignored or considered to be non-issues by peace movements (or too
sensitive to bring up). Links with organisations working on these issues should
be developed.

There is a great need for peace organizations to ensure that their public image
includes women: that women's voices and views are reflected in the media.

3. Refugees

Most
refugees are women and children, and many of the women (e.g.

from former Yugoslav countries) are engaged in working with refugees. They are
clear that this work is political as well as humanitarian, though it often
involves helping women find basic needs such as housing, medical and schooling
for children.

Women are often in the majority after a conflict, or the men are still at the
front lines, leaving women to play a critical role in rebuilding society.

Their work aims at empowering women, and includes education in human rights and
building democracy. It may often involve programs such as income-generating
projects which are not usually considered peace work, but which are vital if
more women are to get involved.

4. Children

Many
women bear great responsibility for children, and for rehabilitating children
traumatized by war. They realize that children's socialization will determine
whether the culture is peaceful or violent. In many recent ethnic conflicts,
adults may have good memories of peaceful relationships with people of the
other ethnic group (neighbours, teachers, friends, etc.). Ethnic cleansing and
segregation means, however, that the next generation will not have this
experience. This means they are more vulnerable to propaganda campaigns which
demonize other ethnic groups.

Women often bring children from differing ethnic groups together to build
positive relationships and so prevent this from happening.

5. Conflict resolution and women's roles in war, conflict and resistance

Women
are in good positions to "cross the lines"--to dialogue with "enemy"
communities and build bridges. As they often have no political affiliations or
access to political decision-making, they may be treated with less suspicion by
either side in a conflict. They are perceived as having a more honest and
genuine interest in stopping the conflict, as being more open to listening and
to finding an equitable solution.

This same strength is also a weakness. The good solutions and programs women
may come up with will not be implemented, as women often have no access to
political decision-making.

Women have a double task--to gain political power in their own right, and also
to change political processes and structures from patriarchal models into more
democratic models.

In Chile, for example, men were in hiding or in prison and progressive church
leaders told women, "It is up to you--you must do something or our situation
will never improve."

6. Healing after war

The
need for dealing with the trauma created by war should not be ignored--neither
at the level of the individual nor at the community level. Healing is vital if
hatred and bitterness are not to be passed to the next generation.

7. Women as leaders

Women
have both strengths and weaknesses, and are not only victims in war but also
leaders in peace.

While it must be recognized that the structures of war both reinforce and
depend upon gender roles, and that women do suffer from very sex-specific
events in conflict, women are not only victims. Women's experiences, skills and
insights are very powerful and often under utilized resources in the prevention
and ending of war, and in building peace.

It is vital that women's histories as peace leaders be recorded and told.

Report back

The
first day we introduced ourselves by telling who we were, what we were doing
and our expectiations. We also added a few words about the meaning of our
names. Then we drew briefly the history of women in WRI, Helga starting telling
us about Sibyl Morrison and Myrtle Solomon. Then Ellen, Shelley, Casha and
Carmen told each their story from the Women's working group. We ended this day
by discussing some points about the specific of women in peace, or if there
were anything which was specific.

The second day Karoline from Norway told about her experiences from film-making
working with women in conflict-situation and especially women who had from
suffered concentration camp during the second world war. We saw peaces from her
film "The time of darkness", which also was shown in its whole later that week.

The third day Shelley, Netherlands/USA, told about her project in IFoR Women's
Peacemaking Programme, especially the empowering part of the programme. Shelley
presented the full programme in a workshop later and showing a video from the
first consultation in Europe. After her introduction followed a discussion on
women's strategies in their work, strengths and weaknesses both personally and
organisationally.

The fourth day we had a go around to sum up from the Gender Day. This report
will be included in the report from the women's working group which were held
later that week. Sara told about her experiences in the organisation of the
disappeared in Chile and how women played a special role in that work.

The fifth and the last day Irina from Ukraine told about her work before we summed
up. Shelley and Ellen had drafted a report from the group which was discussed.
Then we evaluated the week's work by going around. Maia from Chechnya came in
at the very end and gave us a brief introduction of the situation in her
country.

Before starting every day Casha introduced us to a clapping tune which improved
day by day.

From the evaluation it was pointed out that the mixture of presentation and
discussion in an affective atmosphere, gave possibilities to listen and learn
from each other, and to go home inspired and empowered to go on with our own
work at home. The networking was important, also for future work. It was also
mentioned by several that friends from Belgrade and Kosovo/a were missed in the
group.