Women, War, Peace launched in Bangkok - 16 July 2003

"If warlords are at the peace table, then why aren’t women?” UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer said at the Asia regional launch of Women, War, Peace – Progress of the World’s Women 2002, Volume 1, held on 16 July at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

Ms. Heyzer spoke about the need to involve women in post conflict reconstruction and peace building efforts around the world:

“It is time to ensure women have a place at the reconstruction table,” she said. “This is where you can begin merging the development and human rights perspectives to create lasting human security.”

The UNIFEM executive director introduced around 100 people from the UN, NGOs, the media and the diplomatic community to the findings of Women, War, Peace. The UNIFEM study was the final result of a process that started when women NGO leaders approached Noeleen Heyzer personally to ask for international action of the situation facing women in war.

UNIFEM went to the top of the UN system and lobbied the Security Council, which passed Resolution 1325 on women and war, and called for the Secretary General to support a study of the impact of war on women. UNIFEM commissioned two independent experts, Elisabeth Rehn and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to write the assessment.

“Some 80 percent of the casualties of war today are civilians,” Ms Heyzer said, “mostly women and children.”

“The independent experts found that women’s bodies have become a battleground. They are raped systematically, and forced to flee their homes either as refugees or internally displaced people.”

In addition to sexual violence, the assessment also highlights the link between war and the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the role women play as health providers when nations and communities fall apart. Above all, the assessment calls on a renewed commitment to involve women in the peace process and post-conflict reconstruction.

Noeleen Heyzer’s trip to Thailand, which included a visit to the Immigration Detention Center and a meeting with Thai government officials, will be followed by visits to Japan, the Philippines and East Timor.

To read more about the book, please go to www.unifem.org/index.php?f_page_pid=149

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