Theme Group: Women crossing the line

Goals

1. To further empower women nonviolent peace activists - especially those
working in conflict areas - by looking at women's different approaches to
peacemaking, the obstacles they face in their work, and the ways they are
overcoming these obstacles.

2. To strengthen WRI's women's network by exploring ways to help WRI develop
and integrate an appropriate gender perspective in its work for nonviolence and
social empowerment, conflict resolution, and nonviolent civilian intervention.
To expand WRI's women's network by exploring co-operation with like-minded
networks.

3. To strategise future goals and directions of the WRI Women's Working
Group.

Programme

The theme group will take place 10:30-13:00 daily.

Day One

Moderator: Ellen.

Possible resource women: Alexandre Zikic of Nis; Aferdita
Kelmendi of Kosova, or someone from Women In Black, Belgrade; Bougainville
women; Shelley Anderson (with information on IFOR Women's Peacemaker
Programme);
someone from Africa and/or Latin America.

Welcome. Presentation of participants. Short history of WRI Women's Working
Group (WWG).

Panel presentation based on the following questions: What is the WWG's approach
to peacemaking? What obstacles do members face as women (including the possible
resistance of men or other women in their group)? How have they overcome these
obstacles?

Questions and group discussion.

Day Two

Moderator: Shelley

Possible resource women: Vanessa Griffen (APDC Gender Programme); Cahsa Davis;
Carmen Magallon; another women working in a mixed gender group.

Panelists will be asked to give 15-minute presentations on:

How their groups have developed and implemented gender programmes and/or
policies.

Successful strategies for getting these programmes/policies adopted and
implemented (eg, incorporating gender perspective in nonviolence and social
empowerment work, civilian intervention, and conflict resolution).

Their recommendations for strengthening WRI's women's network and promoting a
WRI gender perspective.

Questions and group discussion, focused on what women want WRI to do in terms
of gender.

Day Three - Gender Day

Moderator: Shelley

Exercise for first hour: getting into pairs and interviewing each other (using
questions listed below, which were designed to encourage sharing and
understanding of each other's work).

The last hour will be spent back with the main group, summarising some of the
key points, stories, and questions to come out of the interviews.

Day Four

Moderator: Ellen and Shelley

Summary of the previous evening's plenary

Reports from reflectors on specific issues from Gender Day (eg, identity,
gender and war, conflicts, civilian intervention, nonviolent and social
empowerment).

Examining ways of working toward a peace movement which takes gender issues
into account.

If time, further discussion of other questions that may not have received
enough attention in the previous days.

Day Five

Moderator: Ellen and Shelley

This session will be centred on strategising for future WRI women's work:

Implications our suggestions may have for the WRI Strategic Plan.

Statement and action plan for the next WRI Women's Newsletter.

Questions for "Women Crossing the Line" theme group

1. What is your definition of conflict resolution? of peace?

2. Describe the nature of your work for peace.

3. How does the conflict in your community specifically impact women/men and
girls/boys?

4. Does conflict have different consequences for women/girls than it does for
men/boys?

5. What are some of the obstacles you face in your work for peace?

6. What are some of the strategies you use to tackle these obstacles?

7. Are men and boys using different strategies to tackle these obstacles than
women and girls are?

8. What do you need, both personally and organisationally, to overcome these
obstacles?

9. How do you think women and girls, and men and boys, in your community can be
supported in working for peace?