Category Archives: WOMEN’S EQUALITY

Tunis, Birth Place of the Name, ‘Africa’ hosts 6th Forum of Women, Peace and Security (WPS)

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from the African Union

The African Union (AU) successfully convened the 6th High-Level Africa Forum on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in Tunis, Tunisia. The Forum was held under the theme: “25 Years of UNSCR 1325: Leveraging Multilateral Diplomacy to Reinforce Africa’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda in a Shifting Global Order.”

In his opening remarks, delivered via video message, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, paid tribute to the women of Sudan, standing firm amid conflict; the women of the Great Lakes region, persevering in protracted crises; and the women of the Sahel, who sustain communities despite insecurity and displacement. He concluded by asserting: “Their resilience reminds us that women are central pillars of peace and stability.”

Chairperson Youssouf reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to the progress of this agenda, pledging to work in close collaboration with Member States, Regional Economic Communities, civil society, and partners to ensure that “our collective commitments deliver meaningful and measurable impact for women and girls”. He underlined.

Looking ahead, the Chairperson of the Commission stressed that the collective focus must shift to accountability, financing, and women’s leadership. He noted that the confluence of the 16 Days of Activism, the G20 declaration, and the adoption of the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (CEVAWG) provides powerful momentum. This momentum, he urged, must be translated into concrete action that strengthens protection systems, deepens women’s participation in decision-making, and ensures that peace and security processes across Africa are truly inclusive.

The AUC Chairperson’s Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, H.E. Amb. Liberata Mulamula, asserted that Africa’s strength is rooted in solidarity, multilateralism, and collective action. She called for a renewed commitment to operationalizing WPS obligations, cautioning against backsliding, and emphasizing the necessity of ensuring that women’s voices—from grassroots communities to national leadership—shape policy and drive implementation.

Ambassador Mulamula highlighted the urgent need for accelerated ratification of the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (CEVAWG), noting that only seven countries have signed to date and stressing that rapid ratification remains essential. Ultimately, she conveyed the expectation that the Forum will produce transformative, forward-looking outcomes to guide the next decade of the WPS agenda (2025–2035), building on past achievements while decisively tackling emerging challenges.

H.E. Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Tunisians Abroad, reaffirmed Tunisia’s strong commitment to solidarity and multilateral cooperation, rooted in the nation’s historic role in supporting peace and stability across the continent. He emphasized that since its independence, Tunisia has been a distinguished regional model in advancing women’s rights, notably through the pioneering 1956 Personal Status Code.

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Questions for this article

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

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This progress has been continually strengthened, culminating in the 2022 Constitution, which enshrined equality and led to the appointment of the first female Head of Government in the country and the region. Minister Nafti concluded by stressing the urgent need to ensure women’s full and active participation in peace processes, recognizing them not just as victims of conflict, but as essential partners in shaping and sustaining peace.

In her address, H.E Sahle-Work Zewde, Former President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, stated that conflict continues to disproportionately impact women, who bear the primary burden of displacement and insecurity. She called on Member States and partners to expose and dismantle the economic systems that fuel instability, urging them to redirect political and financial resources toward achieving sustainable peace and human security. She concluded by stressing the importance of amplifying the often-overlooked contributions of women who serve as “silent architects of peace.”

H.E. Joyce Banda, Former President of the Republic of Malawi, and Chair of the SADC Panel of the Wise AWLN Champion reminded the Forum that UNSCR 1325 was a milestone in bringing women into global peace processes. African women have never shied away from leadership, their voices remain essential.

Hon. Justice Emeritus Effie Owuor noted that patterns of conflict are evolving, marked by new pressures and the increasing use of digital spaces to perpetrate harm. She emphasized that despite challenges such as shrinking resources and narrowing democratic space, African women continue to play vital roles as community leaders, mediators, and defenders of human dignity.

She underscored that sustainable peace hinges on strong prevention mechanisms, effective early mediation support, and the meaningful participation of women in all peace processes. She called for an immediate end to decision-making about women but without women, stressing that policies disconnected from everyday realities cannot lead to lasting peace.

H.E. Ms. Nyaradzayi called for the full inclusion of women in peacebuilding, governance, and security negotiations across Africa, highlighting Tunisia’s leadership in the WPS agenda. She urged the protection and dedicated resourcing of women peacebuilders and emphasized the importance of training the next generation of African women leaders. UN Women reaffirmed its full support for the African Union and its Member States in implementing and monitoring all Women, Peace and Security commitments.

Ms. Grace Kabayo highlighted Tunisia’s historic role in supporting the Pan-African Women’s Organization (PAWO) and called for the revitalization of the women’s movement across the continent. She expressed solidarity with African nations facing crises (including Tanzania, South Sudan, Burundi, and the DRC) and urged early intervention to prevent further destabilization. Drawing on her own experience, Kabayo stressed the necessity of strong, inclusive leadership and warned against complacency in defending women leaders. She ultimately called for African women to unite, strengthen PAWO’s legacy, and advocate collectively for peace, human rights, and democratic governance.

H.E. Ms. Asma Jebri, Minister of Family, Women, Childhood, and Seniors of Tunisia, officially declared the 6th High-Level Forum open. As the host nation’s representative for these critical issues, she underscored that strengthening the leadership of women must be a central and non-negotiable continental priority. By formally inaugurating the event, the Minister emphasized Tunisia’s commitment to setting the tone for a decade of accelerated action and reinforced the nation’s dedication to the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

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Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

South Africa’s G20 Women’s Shutdown – a turning point for ending gender-based violence and femicide

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from UN Women

On 21 November, just days before the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, South African women brought their country to a standstill with a powerful message: declare gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster.

At the Union Buildings lawns in Pretoria, the seat of government, thousands of protesters dressed in black with touches of purple began gathering in the morning of 21 November. Their voices rose in traditional songs of struggle – “Senzeni na?” (What have we done to deserve this?) and “Zizaw’ujik’izinto” (Things will change) – before culminating in a powerful moment at midday, when protesters lay on the ground in silence, honouring the memory of women that are killed every day in South Africa, according to data cited by the national nonprofit organization, Women for Change.

G20 Women’s Shutdown: Over one million signatures push government to act on gender-based violence and femicide

The timing was deliberate. As world leaders converged in Johannesburg for the G20 Summit, led by Women for Change, protesters seized the global spotlight to demand urgent action on a crisis that claims women’s and girls’ lives with devastating regularity. The protest, dubbed ‘the G20 Women’s Shutdown’, called for women to stay home from work, refrain from spending money, observe 15 minutes of silence to honour the memory of victims of femicide, and make their demands impossible to ignore. The movement’s purple-themed social media campaign echoed far beyond South Africa’s borders, with supporters worldwide changing their profile pictures in solidarity.

“I came here not only because I’ve got people that I know who have been victims of femicide and gender-based violence, but because this is a crisis. We see women dying every day and we need our voices to be heard”, said 28-year-old Lebogang Ntsia, standing among thousands at the Union Buildings. “Just as women many years ago protested here (against apartheid laws) and showed up for the changes that we are privileged to experience today, we also need to be the generation that steps up.”

The statistics paint a grim picture. The First South African National Gender-based Violence Study, released in 2024 and co-supported by UN Women, revealed that more than 1 in 3 women – 35.8 per cent of South African women – have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. The protest’s impact rippled nationwide as educational institutions observed the 15-minute silence, some major retailers paused operations, and the coordinated action caught global headlines.

The Government of South Africa declares gender-based violence a national disaster

Responding to the outcry amplified by over one million petition signatures, the Government has declared gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster – a move that will unlock additional resources and policy focus, ensuring the issue receives urgent attention it demands.

Speaking at the G20 Social Summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “We have agreed, among all social partners, that we need to take extraordinary and concerted action – using every means at our disposal – to end this crisis”. Ramaphosa also emphasized that men and boys must actively challenge the attitudes and structures that normalize violence against women and girls.

UN Women Representative in South Africa Aleta Miller highlighted the human cost of the crisis: “They are mothers, daughters, sisters, friends – whose lives have been cut short or forever changed. Ending gender-based violence and femicide requires nothing less than a comprehensive, all-of-society approach.”

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Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

What role should men play to stop violence against women?

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Global South presidencies drive new momentum for gender equality at the G20

The protest occurred as three consecutive G20 presidencies from the Global South – India (2023), Brazil (2024), and South Africa (2025) – have brought fresh momentum to the forum’s gender equality agenda, each building on the other’s work to advance women’s economic empowerment and safety.

India’s 2023 presidency marked a watershed moment by reframing the narrative from ‘women’s empowerment’ to ‘women-led development,’ creating the Women’s Empowerment Working Group and elevating gender equality from engagement groups to formal G20 architecture. Brazil’s 2024 presidency moved this vision into action by hosting the first-ever meeting of the Working Group and positioning the care economy at the heart of its agenda.

South Africa’s 2025 presidency, themed ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability’, arrived at a critical moment: five years before the 2030 deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that put women’s equal rights and opportunities at the heart of meaningful progress for the planet and people. The presidency secured unprecedented African Union participation and expanded the agenda to include health equity, land rights, and agriculture, alongside existing priorities. The Women’s Empowerment Working Group, supported by UN Women, also focused on ending gender-based violence and femicide.

Yet significant gaps persist: most G20 countries remain far from achieving the 25 per cent reduction in labour force participation gaps between men and women; climate finance continues to bypass women, with only 1.7 per cent reaching small-scale producers in developing countries. And, no country in the world has eradicated violence against women and girls.

Leaders at G20 call for the engagement of men and boys in ending gender-based violence

As G20 Ministers gathered in Johannesburg, they recognized that addressing gender-based violence requires confronting its root causes.

The G20 Ministerial Dialogue on Positive Masculinities, held in October, brought together religious and traditional leaders, government officials, and civil society to discuss ways to address harmful social norms that fuel violence against women and girls. Deputy Minister Mmapaseka Steve Letsike told the assembly that “patriarchy is a human crisis, not merely a women’s issue.”

“Across countries, physical spaces or online contexts, the dominance of patriarchal masculinities is a common thread underlying the perpetration of gender-based violence,” said Anna Mutavati, UN Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa at the G20 Ministerial Meeting. “Achieving gender equality requires the full engagement of all segments of society, including men and boys as strategic partners and advocates for change.”

Central to the G20’s recommendations was engaging men and boys as active agents of change in promoting positive masculinities. Ministers also emphasized that transforming harmful gender norms requires strengthening accountability mechanisms across all sectors, from religious institutions to judicial systems.

From commitments to action: A new generation demands extraordinary action during 16 Days of Activism

Since the 2018 Total Shutdown march, when women marched to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange demanding change, South Africa has developed comprehensive frameworks to address the crisis. The government launched the National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide, dedicating approximately R21 billion (about USD 1.2 billion). New legislation includes the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill, signed into law in May 2024.

As South Africa enters the 16 Days of Activism, the 21 November protests have set a powerful precedent, demonstrating that a new generation refuses to accept violence against women as inevitable, demanding that extraordinary measures match the extraordinary scale of the crisis.
 
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Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

The Struggle for Peace of Syrian Women, ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2025

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from the International Catalan Institute for Peace

On Thursday, September 18, during the week marking the International Day of Peace, ICIP presented the 2025 Peace in Progress Award to Women Now for Development, a leading Syrian women’s organisation. The award honours the network for its work in supporting, protecting, and empowering Syrian women—both inside the country and in exile—as a powerful symbol of resistance and feminist solidarity in the face of violence.

Women Now for Development was founded in 2012 as a community initiative to support women and girls in the early days of the Syrian revolution. Its initial aim was to create safe spaces where women could meet, share knowledge, and exchange experiences. Since then, it has become a leading feminist organisation working both in war zones and in conflict-affected contexts, inside and outside Syria. The network has helped shape a generation of women who continue resisting violence and building hope amidst destruction.

The ceremony was opened by ICIP president Xavier Masllorens, who underlined the importance of “recognising people and organisations that work against the tide, upholding dignity,” which is the essence of the ICIP Award. In today’s turbulent context for peace, Masllorens lamented the lack of action on conflict prevention. He also stressed the need to work for peace: “Not preventing means giving up on deeply analysing the true causes of conflicts, and that constitutes a collective failure with devastating consequences (…). Today, we have the conditions to work with a new paradigm in conflict resolution between communities, peoples, nations, and states. A paradigm that is unprecedented but not impossible, which we call a culture of peace: a world without misery, more just and equal.”

Next, Palestinian poet and translator of Syrian origin, Mohamad Bitari, offered a tribute to the award-winning organisation and highlighted that the ICIP Award “is a homage to the memory of Syrian women, and to all that they have given for a more just, free, and safe country. It is also a tribute to every woman in the world who has refused to be only a victim, and has chosen to be active, courageous, and transformative.”

A recognition of women’s struggle

In his remarks, Bitari recalled many Syrian women who have marked the country’s resistance through their social and political activism. Many of them suffered repression at the hands of the Syrian regime and received support and protection from Women Now for Development.

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Questions related to this article:

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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On behalf of the award-winning organisation, the award was accepted by executive director Lubna Alkanawati and the organisation’s director in Lebanon, Roulah Al Rekbie. In their acceptance speeches, they emphasised the repression and displacement suffered by Syrian women for decades. They highlighted that the ICIP Award makes their struggle visible and places women at the centre of peacebuilding: “This recognition gives us strength to keep moving forward, to transform pain into action. It reminds us that the struggle continues, that we will keep working to ensure that Syrian women have a voice of their own,” said Al Rekbie. For her part, Alkanawati dedicated the award to the “women of Syria, Sudan, Palestine, Yemen, Iran, and Afghanistan, and all places where women suffer from occupation, extremism, and patriarchy.” The organisation will allocate the prize to funding support programs for survivors of sexual violence.

A third representative of the organisation, Muzna Al Jundi, who was unable to travel to Barcelona due to visa difficulties, participated through a video message to thank the organisation for the award from northwest Syria.

The President of the Catalan Parliament, Josep Rull, closed the ceremony with words of gratitude to ICIP and to the award-winning organisation. “Today is an act of recognition, of hope, and of collective dignity,” he said. Rull praised the work of Women Now for Development and ICIP for the quality of the Peace in Progress Award. He also warned that this award comes in an “absolutely devastating international context” and called for “the participation and perspective of women in peacebuilding and reconciliation processes.”

The genocide in Gaza was a recurring theme throughout the ceremony. The ICIP president began his remarks with a moment of silence in solidarity with Palestine, which the audience joined, standing. Poet Mohamad Bitari also remembered the people of Palestine, “subjected to systematic genocide and constant aggression that continues day after day before the eyes of the world.”

The ceremony opened and closed with a musical performance by the Syrian duo Athrodeel.

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award, established in 2011, aims to publicly recognise individuals, organisations, or institutions that have worked and contributed in a significant and sustained way to the promotion and construction of peace. The award consists of public recognition, a sculpture created by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, artist, and activist Adolfo Pérez Esquivel entitled Porta de Sol, and a monetary prize of 6,000 euros.

Over its fourteen-year history, the ICIP Award has recognised individuals and groups from Catalonia, Bosnia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Mexico, and Algeria for their struggle in favour of reconciliation, truth, justice, or equality, with a focus also on the empowerment of women and a gender perspective.

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Mideast, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Ugandan Journalist Wins Luxembourg Peace Prize

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from Peace News

A Ugandan journalist recently won the 2025 Luxembourg Peace Prize for outstanding peace journalism. On June 27, journalist Gloria Laker Adiiki Aciro accepted the prestigious award. Aciro is the founder of the Peace Journalism Foundation (PJF), and has reported on people building peace in the midst of the crisis surrounding the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Starting with its founding in 1987, the LRA devastated northern Uganda and neighboring countries by killing and abducting thousands of civilians, capturing child soldiers, and displacing hundreds of thousands. Aid agencies have worked to provide psycho-social support to help reintegrate people who were abducted by the LRA as child soldiers.

Aciro herself was a victim of the LRA when she was displaced during the LRA  war as a young girl in 1997. She started journalism with no training or experience, facing sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination in a society that considered journalism a man’s job. Aciro went on to found the PJF, which works to promote conflict-sensitive journalism. There, she has trained and mentored over 700 journalists across Africa as the director and media trainer. 

Two of Aciro’s articles have been featured in Peace News Network (PNN). The articles made up a two-part series about how two women, Judith Obina and Nora Anek, confronted LRA leader Joseph Kony and ended his brutal war in Northern Uganda. 

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Questions for this article

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

African journalism and the Culture of Peace, A model for the rest of the world?

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In part one  of the series, Aciro interviews Obina and details how Obina, a private secretary to President Yoweri Museveni, was entrusted with a the responsibility of caring for Joseph Kony’s elderly mother, Nora Anek Oting. In 2007, when Anek wanted to see her son, Obina saw this as a chance for Kony to abandon the violence that had devastated so many lives.

In part two, Aciro dives into Obina’s life inside the jungle with the LRA. There, she spent 14 days with Joseph Kony, the LRA’s leader, in a hideout in Ri-kwamba in 2007. After nine days of negotiations, a key moment arrived when Anek spoke to her son about ending the war. Obina said that Kony “said that he would never step foot in Uganda again to fight, kill, or abduct.” Aciro reports on the power of Anek’s relationship with her son. 

An Inspiration to Women in Journalism

Aciro received her award at the 13th Luxembourg Peace Prize ceremony amongst peacebuilders from around the world, journalist Cinderella Ayebare-Kalita reported. Esther Omam, the Chairperson of the Women Building Peace African Network (WBPAN), called on women to celebrate Aciro’s achievement.

“Dear sisters and colleagues, it is with immense joy that we celebrate our own Gloria… This recognition honors her work covering the LRA war and promoting peace journalism in Africa. We are proud of you, Gloria! Your achievement is a testament to the power of courage, commitment, and truth-telling in building peace.”

Aciro said, “I look forward to continuing my efforts in promoting peace and journalistic excellence.”

In light of Uganda’s upcoming election, she also announced announced the PJF’s future plans: launching a peace journalism initiative designed to detect, reject, and remove hate speech and misinformation, and training female journalists ahead of elections to amplify diverse voices in media. 

She urged journalists to demonstrate the “utmost responsibility… ensuring that our platforms are not used to spread hate speech.”
Aciro invited people to partner with and support the PJF.

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Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Niger: Maradi’s Traditional Leaders Equipped to Promote Women’s and Children’s Rights

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article by Abdourahamane Salifou from Agence Nigérienne de Presse

The Governor of the Maradi Region, Police Comptroller General Mamane Issoufou, opened the orientation workshop for traditional leaders on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, as part of the “Child-Friendly Sultanates and Cantons” initiative, led by UNICEF.

During this capacity-building session for traditional leaders, guardians of ancestral values, several themes related to the well-being of children, women, and families will be addressed.

These include, among others, vaccination and early access to health services for childhood illnesses; childbirth attended by skilled personnel; exclusive breastfeeding and good child nutrition; protection of young girls from abuse and early marriage; environmental hygiene and sanitation; community conflict management through a culture of peace and social cohesion; and youth involvement in community development.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Cyriaque SOBTAFO, Head of the UNICEF Maradi-Zinder Zone Office, acknowledged that the role of traditional leaders is essential and has always been decisive in community life. “Because,” he said, “you are the first point of contact for the population, the mediators of conflicts, the promoters of peace, and the natural link between institutions and citizens.”

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(Click here for the original French version.)

Questions for this article

Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

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He recalled that UNICEF maintains a long-standing partnership with the chiefdom in Niger, a partnership that has been very successful and has enabled local populations to support previous campaigns, including the fight against polio, the prevention of early marriage, and child education.

Regarding the themes chosen for this workshop, the UNICEF Maradi-Zinder Zone Head of Office believes that these are not just topics for discussion, but are central to the daily lives of the communities.

Dr. Cyriaque Sobtafo finally encouraged the traditional chiefs to redouble their efforts because, he emphasized, “your voice carries weight, your example inspires.”

In his opening speech, the Governor of the Maradi region stated that the main concern of Niger’s highest authorities, foremost among them HE General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of the Republic and Head of State, and HE Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, is the promotion of the socio-economic development of the population through the State’s own efforts and the support of technical and financial partners.

“That is why,” he said to the traditional leaders, “this meeting is of paramount importance because it aims to strengthen your capacities in advocacy, mobilization, and community engagement to contribute to the promotion of social norms and positive behaviors in favor of children’s rights in our region, a guarantee of harmonious, balanced, and sustainable development for our valiant people.”

He maintained that the objectives assigned to this meeting and the cantonal forums which will soon be led by the honorable canton heads for their communities are perfectly aligned with the orientations of the National Refoundation Policy and are part of the mission carried out collectively in the region by the highest authorities.

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Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Violence Against Women: West Africa at a Time of Decisive Choices

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Burkina 24 (translation by CPNN)

The adoption last February of the African Union Convention on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls was hailed as a major milestone for women’s rights on the continent.

However, the Alliance Droits et Santé, a regional collective committed to defending women’s human rights and health, warns that this progress risks remaining symbolic without rapid, effective, and funded implementation.

The organization particularly calls on the governments of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Senegal (members of the alliance), as well as all African countries, urging them to translate this continental commitment into concrete national actions.

“Every day of delay exposes more women and girls to unacceptable violence. The time for promises is over, but for action,” the Alliance insists.

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(click here for the original article in French.)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

What role should men play to stop violence against women?

(Article continued from left column)

To prevent the Convention from remaining a dead letter, the organization makes three strategic recommendations to policymakers and civil society actors:

1. Strengthening legal frameworks and survivor protection: This involves harmonizing national laws with regional and international standards, criminalizing all forms of gender-based violence, and ensuring simplified and secure access to justice.

2. Sustainable financing for the fight against gender-based violence: Alliance Droits et Santé calls for the allocation of multi-year national budgets, the involvement of the African private sector through corporate social responsibility, and the creation of dedicated, transparent, and rigorously monitored funds.

3. Strengthened coordination and data sharing: The establishment of inter-stakeholder cooperation mechanisms, the digitization of data, the strengthening of specialized centers, and the training of field professionals are essential to ensure a coherent and effective response.

The organization emphasizes the need to build a collective response. Governments, technical and financial partners, feminist movements, civil society and the private sector must work hand in hand to guarantee every woman and girl a free, safe and dignified life.
 
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Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

France: Thirty Years of Service to Immigrant Women

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article by Geneviève Roy in Breizh Femmes (translation by CPNN)

Immigration today represents 3.7% of the world’s population, or around 300,000 people, 48% of whom are women. Catherine Wihtol de Wenden introduced her topic with a few figures.

The CNRS researcher, political scientist, and lawyer, who teaches at Sciences Po Paris, came to Rennes to shed light on migration on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Déclic Femmes.

An anniversary that the founder, Fatima Zédira, wanted to celebrate by retracing the history of an association directly serving immigrant women, striving to provide solutions that meet each individual’s needs.

Women are leaving their countries in ever-increasing numbers, and they are increasingly doing so alone. In Europe, they are even more numerous than the global average, representing 51% of immigrants. Often invisible in society, they hold undervalued jobs working with the elderly, as caregivers, or in the clothing industry.

For researcher Catherine Wihtol de Wenden, this situation is nothing new. “Migration is world history!” she exclaims, praising the remarkable work that the association Déclic Femmes
has been doing for three decades in welcoming these migrant women to Rennes. “We’re in a very paradoxical context,” she continues, “since in Europe we need immigration in many professional sectors and to increase the demographics of different countries, but at the same time we are pursuing increasingly restrictive policies for welcoming migrants.” Surprisingly, since the 1990s, it has never been easier to leave one’s country, but it has never been more difficult to enter another. In France, for example, the refugee status recognition rate has peaked at 35% of applications.

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(Click here for the original French version.)

Questions for this article

Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

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A Priority: Learning French

The global vision of the situation of migrants around the world, provided by the guest expert, allows Fatima Zédira, founder of Déclic Femmes, to situate the history of her association within French society. In 1995, she chose to support immigrant women through “dignity, family, social, and professional autonomy, and access to citizenship.” Drawing on a quote from Gisèle Halimi, stating that women’s economic independence is their freedom, she outlines thirty years of association life largely focused on employment and vocational training.

“The association focused its activities on welcoming and listening,” recalls Fatima Zédira, remembering the small 13m² space on Rue de Picardie in the Villejean neighborhood where women lined up on the sidewalk. Currently, at 7bis rue d’Armagnac, a few blocks from the original location, the premises are much more spacious and allow for a wider range of activities, welcoming more women, and also exhibiting some of their work. At the same time, branches have been established in other neighborhoods—Blosne and Maurepas. Each year, Déclic Femmes welcomes between 300 and 500 women, and in total, more than 90 nationalities have crossed paths at the association.

“Learning French is the key for us to escape isolation, regain self-confidence, and integrate into the host society,” explains Fatima Zédira. It is therefore natural that this learning is at the heart of all the activities offered by the association. From discussion groups to language classes, it has taken a lot of energy from the association’s volunteers and employees over the years to find the right balance. Training sessions are also provided to help people learn how to learn. A Positive

Process of Integration into Society

One of Déclic Femmes’ priorities is to offer individualized pathways that take into account the individual and their background. For example, there’s no question of mixing people with diverse educational backgrounds in French classes. There are those who have hardly ever attended school, those with a primary school education, sometimes a secondary education, and those who already have a university degree in their own language. Some come from French-speaking countries, others not. Some are comfortable speaking, but not at all writing… But none of them have “time to waste.” They often held jobs, sometimes responsibilities, in their countries of origin. They have obtained diplomas that France does not recognize. They need—and want—to return to working lives as quickly as possible in France. Fatima Zédira emphasizes a real “aspiration for emancipation” for all of them.

For all these women, the association has chosen to co-develop its proposals, tailored as closely as possible to each woman’s immediate needs. And in collaboration with numerous partners. Beyond efficiency, the association also strives to foster civic engagement, offering a variety of visits, trips, participation in activist activities, raising awareness of women’s rights, gender equality, political culture, and cultural and artistic initiatives.

It’s difficult to measure the impact of the work accomplished over thirty years. However, when a woman leaves the association fluent in French and with a better understanding of the culture and institutions of the host country, Fatima Zédira believes that “it’s an entire family that is drawn into a positive process of integration into society.”

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Europe, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Final declaration of NADA (Regional Democratic Women’s Coalition in the Middle East and North Africa) congress

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Women Defend Rojava

The first congress of the Regional Democratic Women’s Coalition in the Middle East and North Africa (NADA) took place in Suleymaniya [Iraq] on May 15th, 16th, and 17th, 2025. Around 200 women from 19 different countries participated, including representatives from Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Iran, and others.

This congress was a strategic event for women and society in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as an important step toward building a global women’s confederation. Below is the final declaration of the congress.

“We are currently undergoing a period of significant transformation, marked by dramatic changes in all areas and unfolding amid intense developments at both the regional and international levels. While unjust policies and practices have deepened the devastating impact of these transformations on women, they have also opened up new and significant opportunities.

In this context, the NADA Alliance held its first post-foundation congress on May 15–17, 2025, in the city of Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, under the slogan ‘Towards a Democratic Society Based on Women’s Revolution.’ The congress brought together hundreds of women activists, organizations, and institutions from across the Middle East and North Africa (including Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Mauritania, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan). The participation of women from Arab, Kurdish, Syriac, Assyrian, Armenian, Amazigh, Persian, Afghan, and Yazidi (Êzidî) communities represented the unity of women across the region’s immense cultural diversity.

The congress sessions focused on core theoretical issues related to the exclusion and injustice faced by women in the Middle East. The third world war currently unfolding in the region was described as a silent genocide against women: massacres, forced displacement, abduction, and the use of women as tools of war, as seen in the atrocities committed against Yazidi women in Shengal in 2014, or in the ongoing devastation in Palestine over the past year and a half. Similar atrocities are taking place in Sudan and Yemen. These brutal wars are not only the product of democracy-deprived nation-states, but also the result of global capitalism’s alliance with local political-religious powers. These dynamics, compounded by patriarchal laws, constitutional frameworks, and regressive social values, have further marginalized women.

The congress also addressed the historical legacy of women’s resistance and their struggle to uphold this legacy amid today’s crises. Women have never stepped back; on the contrary, they have forged a powerful connection between the matriarchal culture of the past and the goals of contemporary struggle. The women’s revolutions in Rojava, Sudan, Yemen, and Tunisia, as well as the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” (Woman, Life, Freedom) uprising in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan (Rojhilat), are vivid examples of this continuity. The congress emphasized that a society based on women’s freedom must be built upon a shared life rooted in equality between men and women.

Participants thoroughly evaluated the current state of the women’s struggle, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities that lie ahead. The discussions emphasized the importance of seizing available resources and historical openings to strengthen efforts toward building peace and establishing a democratic society rooted in the women’s revolution. It was also stressed that regional alliances among women must be reinforced, and the need for collective resistance against patriarchal and anti-woman neoliberal coalitions was highlighted. The congress further underlined that women must have access to legal, constitutional, and security-based protection and defense mechanisms, particularly in times of war and conflict.

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Questions related to this article:

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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The congress emphasized that in response to the political dynamics of the third world war, it is essential to develop a unified political struggle led by women and to build global women’s networks that can carry forward the universal legacy of women. The NADA Alliance was highlighted as a driving force in continuing the passionate women’s revolution under the slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî”.

On the third day of the congress, participants reviewed the past activities of the NADA Alliance, defined its strategic objectives, and established seven specialized committees to implement the alliance’s projects.

Participants reached a consensus on the following points:

– To strengthen the NADA Alliance as a comprehensive women’s platform grounded in human rights, embracing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Istanbul Convention, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and relevant regional protocols.

– To adopt the Rojava and North and East Syria Women’s Revolution Document and the Charter of the Global Democratic Women’s Confederation as core references of the NADA Alliance, thereby reinforcing international solidarity among women.

– To enhance women’s organization and resistance for a society based on freedom, a life shared in equality between women and men, democracy, and social justice.

– To struggle for a democratic society and peace built on individual freedom, free from extremism, and from ethnic, religious, or sectarian divisions.

– To support Abdullah Öcalan’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society, which centers on women’s freedom.

– To demand the release of women prisoners held in the jails of occupying forces and authoritarian regimes.

– To stand in solidarity with the resistance of Yazidi women and offer support for their struggle.

– To provide both national and international support to women’s resistance in the face of war, occupation, genocide, displacement, demographic engineering, and sexual violence occurring across the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

– To establish networks among women’s organizations, promote the sharing of ideas, visions, and experiences, and address women’s issues as a transnational human cause.

– To ensure women’s active participation in political decision-making processes and to strengthen their intellectual and social capacities.

– To expand the work of the NADA Alliance through its local committees in each country and to reinforce joint actions on both local and regional levels.

– To build a women-centered, independent media that amplifies women’s issues and counters the male-dominated media narrative that degrades women.

Long live the free women’s struggle in the Middle East and North Africa!

Long live the women’s revolution! (Woman, Life, Freedom – Jin, Jiyan, Azadî)

Regional Democratic Women’s Alliance (NADA Alliance)”

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Mideast, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Urgent Call for Peace Launched by Indian and Pakistani Feminists

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Presse Gauche (translation by CPNN)

We, feminists of India and Pakistan, unequivocally welcome the ceasefire declared by our two nations today. The tension and escalation of the past two weeks remind us how fragile peace is. The ceasefire also vindicates the calls for de-escalation and peace made by thousands of ordinary people on both sides of the border. While we hope for an absolute cessation of hostilities, we are mindful of recent events.

From Between the lines and the words

The ceasefire is only the first step in the long march towards justice and peace.

We condemn the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 25 tourists from different parts of India and one from Nepal who came to visit Kashmir. A local person also lost their life in the Pahalgam attack. These targeted attacks have widened the communal divide between Muslims and Hindus in India and have been exploited to incite hatred, fear, and collective punishment.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, it is women—including mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives—who bear the unbearable burden of grief. Instead of respecting and sharing it, it has been weaponized and subjected to police surveillance—especially when people refuse to follow the script of hate.

Himanshi Narwal, the young widow of one of the slain victims, is among the survivors who, despite unimaginable pain, found the strength to call for peace. She asked people not to direct their rage at Kashmiris and Muslims who, like her, are trapped in a cycle of violence they did not create. For this simple act of humanity, she was trolled, vilified, and attacked by lurking nationalists more devoted to bloodlust than truth.

Linking the terrorist attack to Pakistan, India immediately suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and resumed hydroelectric projects and dam construction previously restricted by the treaty. Both sides canceled short-term visas for visitors. We witnessed heartbreaking scenes at the Attari-Wagah border, where Indian and Pakistani women with the “wrong” passports were forced to hand over their children to their husbands before crossing into “their countries,” causing unfathomable distress for the women themselves, their children, and their families. Fourteen days later, India carried out airstrikes and Pakistan retaliated, followed by drone strikes from both sides.

Disinformation campaigns on both sides made the truth difficult to ascertain. One thing is certain: the loss of life, widespread fear, and escalating violence add to the potential terror of the grave and irreversible consequences that tensions between the two nuclear powers could have for populations throughout South Asia.

As feminists, we are fundamentally against war and militarism. We denounce the war economy that thrives on violence and destruction, as well as the deeply patriarchal structures that fuel and sustain it. The fact that the Indian operation was dubbed Sindoor, a deeply patriarchal gesture, is a stark reminder of the misogynistic propaganda employed by both sides. Between loved ones, there are also many other private and specific symbols, of which Sindoor, for some women, could be one. But when Sindoor becomes a battle cry, it erases and weaponizes pain, and reduces women to bodies upon which masculinist nationalist fantasies of conquest, violence, and rape are constructed.

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(Click here for the original article in French).

Questions related to this article:

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

(Article continued from left column)

The past year has been marked by a surge in violence around the world, with devastating images from Gaza and other conflict zones becoming a daily occurrence, tragically desensitizing many to the true horrors of armed conflict. The Indian and Pakistani governments and opinion makers appear oblivious to the catastrophic consequences of war and the immense devastation it would cause. Only those who manufacture and sell weapons systems to our governments will profit from war. War reinforces, exacerbates, and perpetuates existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting women, sexual and religious minorities, and children. These hostilities distract from what people really need: education, health, employment, social protection, security, and well-being.

We, feminists from India and Pakistan, firmly believe that war is never a solution. We call for the dismantling of power structures that fuel violence. The logic of war—rooted in nationalism, toxic masculinity, and colonial-era borders—must be rejected. In both countries, women activists, journalists, and peacebuilders have long advocated for dialogue, de-escalation, and diplomacy. Yet our voices are consistently sidelined and overwhelmed by the inflammatory rhetoric and assertive militarism that dominate the public sphere.

We call on the governments of India and Pakistan to:

* Consolidate the May 10 ceasefire, renounce cross-border violations, and defuse rising tensions by keeping channels of communication open;

* Jointly launch an investigation, with international representatives, into the Pahalgam attack to bring the perpetrators to justice.

* Refrain from unilateral actions such as the termination of the Indus Waters Treaty;

* Prioritize and engage in dialogue and diplomacy to resolve differences;

* Work towards resolving the central political issue of Kashmir, which is at the heart of the conflict.

We urge feminists around the world to raise their voices in solidarity and join us in resisting war and building peace. There is no time or space for complacency.

Saheli Women’s Resource Centre, New Delhi, India; Women’s Action Forum (WAF), All Chapters, Pakistan; Aurat March, Lahore, Pakistan; All India Democratic Women’s Association, India.

Individual endorsements (in alphabetical order): Abha Bhaiyya, Aisha Gazdar, Amar Sindhu, Amrita Chhachi, Anita Pinjani, Anuradha Banerji, Arfana Mallah, Avantika Tewari, Ayesha Kidwai, Beena Sarwar, Chayanika Shah, Devangana Kalita, Elaine Alam, Farrah Taufiq, Farida Shaheed, Gulbadan Javed, Haseen Musarat, Huma Ahmed-Ghosh, Humaira Rahman, Iram Hashmi, Kalyani Menon Sen, Kavita Krishnan, Kausar Khan, Khawar Mumtaz, Lalita Ramdas, Madhu Bhushan, Maimoona Mollah, Malka Khan, Maria Rasheed, Mariam Dhawale, Meera Sanghamitra, Nageen Hyat, Naheed Aziz, Najam Panhwar, Natasha Narwal, Naseem Jalbani, Nasim Jalbani, Nasreen Azhar, Neelam Hussain, Nighat Said Khan, Nivedita Menon, Nuscie Jamil, Nuzhat Shirin, Pamela Philipose, Pratiksha Baxi, Raheema Panhwar, Rashida Dohad, Riffat Aziz, Rita Manchanda, Ritu Menon, Roshmi Goswami, Rozina Junejo, Rukhsana Rashid, Saba Gul Khattak, Safia Noor, Salima Hashmi, Samina Jabbar, Samina Omar Asghar Khan, Shabnam Hashmi, Shad Begum, Sheeba Chhachi, Shahnaz Rouse, Simi Kamal, Smita Gupta, Soonha Abro, Sumaira Ishfaq, Syeda Hamid, Tahira Abdullah, Tasneem Ahmar, Uma Chakravarti, Urvashi Butalia, Uzma Noorani, Vani Subramanian, Vanita Mukherjee.
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South Asia, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Turkey: Peace Mothers to mothers of soldiers and police officers: “Let there be no tears on either side”

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Bianet

Following the PKK’s decision to disband and lay down arms, the Mothers for Peace Assembly issued a statement regarding the “Peace and Democratic Society Process.”

The announcement, made at the Diyarbakır branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), was attended by numerous lawyers and human rights defenders alongside the Peace Mothers.


Photo: Diyarbakır İHD / X

Who are the Peace Mothers?

The Peace Mothers are a women’s civil rights group in Turkey, mainly Kurdish women, who advocate for peace between Turkey’s different ethnic groups, especially regarding the conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Many of these mothers have lost children or other relatives in the conflict, or have children in prison, and they use non-violent means like protests and vigils to call for an end to the fighting.

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Questions related to this article:

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

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“No more dead bodies”

Havva Kıran, spokesperson for the Mothers for Peace Assembly, called for a bilateral ceasefire: “A ceasefire cannot be one-sided – it must involve both parties. As mothers, we appeal to the state, the president, and leaders – everyone must act. This process has given hope to both Kurds and Turks. Let their planes stop bombing Kurdish lands. No more dead bodies. Let the tears of Turkish and Kurdish mothers cease.”

“Let there be no tears on either side”

Kıran noted that “the state has yet to take a promising step” and addressed mothers of soldiers and police, urging them to join hands for peace:

“Only the Kurdish side has taken steps. They’ve laid down their arms, held their congresses. They’re ready for peace. As Peace Mothers, we call on the mothers of soldiers and police – hold hands with us. Let no more mothers’ hearts ache. Let us hold hands and bring peace.  Let there be no tears on either side. Let us bring peace to Turkey and live together. Let us strengthen those who are willing to shoulder the responsibility for peace.”

“You too must take a step”

“The end of war is now peace. War leads nowhere. There’s no alternative – peace must prevail. A grieving mother doesn’t say, ‘I’ve given one child, I’ll give another.’ Let us live freely and in peace in this country. Everyone has the right to live and speak their own language – but Kurds are denied this right. We opened the path for this process – now you must take a step. We want not war, but calm and peace.”

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe, WOMEN'S EQUALITY