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Regional Desks
Sustaining
Women’s Organizations
Documentation,
Analysis, Dissemination
Regional
and Intercontinental Consultations
(1997 – 2005)
Regional and Intercontinental Consultation
Women peacemakers all over the world often work in extremely difficult
circumstances. They have many responsibilities; the survival of the
family and sometimes of the whole community depends on them.
IFOR’s Women Peacemakers Program supported women from 1997
- 2005 by bringing them together in regional and intercontinental
consultations.
In the consultations, women peace activists shared their experiences.
By interviewing each other they recognised each other’s commitment
and learnt more effective strategies for building a society where
peace can have a chance.
They were called consultations because active listening was a major
component of all the gatherings - active listening to each other by
women from different sides of specific conflicts, and active listening
by the WPP to the women themselves, who are the experts in their situation.
In 2001 and 2005, two intercontinental consultations were organized
in the Netherlands.
From 1997 to 2005, WPP organized six regional consultations for women
from areas of armed conflict:
Europe (Hungary
1998)
Asia (India 1998)
Africa (Zimbabwe
2000)
Latin America (Ecuador
2003)
Pacific (Timor
L’este 2004)
Middle East (Cyprus
2004)
After each regional consultation a narrative report and a documentary
was produced.
You can read the
reports (PDF files) on this page or order them and the videos from the WPP office.
Intercontinental Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
April 17– April 21, 2005
The Netherlands, Europe
The gathering that took place 17 April to 21 April, 2005 in the Netherlands,
was the culmination of three previous regional consultations: a Latin
American consultation in Quito, Ecuador in 2003; a Pacific consultation
in Maubara, Timor-Leste in 2004; and a Middle Eastern consultation
that took place in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, in 2004. These consultations
were organized by the WPP, in close cooperation with working groups
composed of peace and justice activists from the regions. The goal
was to provide an opportunity for women peace activists from conflict
areas to meet each other in order to exchange experiences and strategies.
Thirteen selected participants from these regional consultations
were invited to the intercontinental consultation in the Netherlands.
The intercontinental consultation’s goal was similar to the
goal for the regional consultations. Links to further resources, skills
sharing and networking were certainly accomplished during the intercontinental
consultation. Perhaps an even more important accomplishment was something
less tangible: the women gained strength and renewed energy from each
other. It was, in the words of one participant, “an encounter
of beauties.”
Middle East Regional Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
16 - 22 September 2004
Cyprus, Europe
The purpose of the Middle East consultation was to explore the concept
of nonviolent conflict resolution in a safe setting, and to provide
an opportunity for participants to exchange strategies for peacemaking
and solidarity. Women from different sides of various armed conflicts
in the region were invited to the consultation.
The program of the consultation involved participatory sessions on
nonviolent conflict resolution, including analysis of regional conflicts;
active nonviolence; gender and armed conflict; and sessions on networking
and organizational development. In addition, a workshop on fundraising,
and the use of media as a tool for peacemaking was organized.
After the consultation a narrative report from the training was published.
For more information,
please contact the WPP Office
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Pacific Regional Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
24 January – 1 February 2004
Timor L’este, Pacific
Twenty women peace activists from Bougainville, East Timor, Fiji,
Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands met and shared their experiences
on the causes and effects of armed conflict in their region, and the
risks they are taking to build peace.
They exchanged experiences and deepened their skills in nonviolent
conflict resolution. Each participant had experienced violent conflict:
as a freedom fighter, a refugee or a peacebuilder. All were convinced
that in the long run only nonviolent action will result in sustainable
peace.
The consultation reflected on East Timorese women’s contribution
to post-conflict reconstruction and their concerns about justice and
reconciliation.
To read the report
from the Pacific Consultation, click
here >
To order the
video “Pacific Women Exploring Nonviolence”, please contact
the WPP office.
Intercontinental Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
March 25 – April 1, 2001
The Netherlands, Europe
The gathering that took place 25 March to April 1, 2001 in the Netherlands
was a culmination of three previous regional consultations. The European consultation
took place in Hungary in 1998; the Asian consultation in India in 1998, and the African consultation
in Zimbabwe in
2000.
These consultations were organized by WPP for women in conflict situations.
To read the report
from the Intercontinental Consultation, click
here >
Africa Regional Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
April 10-16, 2000
Zimbabwe, Africa
This consultation was the third in a series of three regional consultations
for women working in conflict areas; a series which will culminate
in a fourth intercontinental consultation in the Netherlands in 2001.
(Laura, please link the words: intercontinental consultation to the
pdf file called int-cons report)
One goal of the Africa consultation was to support participants from
Anglophone and Francophone Africa in reaching across the language
divide.
For this reason the Africa consultation was the first IFOR/WPP consultation
held in two languages.
To read the report
from the African Consultation, click
here >
To order the
video from the Africa Consultation. please contact the
WPP office. Please, specify if you require a video in French or
English!
Asia Regional Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
November 3-8, 1998
India
This consultation was the second in a series of three regional consultations
for women working in conflict areas; a series which will culminate
in a fourth intercontinental
consultation in the Netherlands in 2001. The main goals of the
consultation were to provide a space where women from Asian conflict
areas, with experience and interest in building bridges between communities
in conflict, could exchange ideas and experiences, find support, and
deepen their understanding of nonviolent conflict resolution. Women
from Kashmir, Burma, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Cambodia, Tibet, Nagaland,
and South Korea participated at this consultation.
To read the report
from the Asia Consultation, click
here >
To order the
video from the Asia Consultation, please contact the
WPP office.
European Regional Consultation on Women and Conflict Resolution
April 2-9, 1998
Hungary
This consultation was the first in a series of three regional consultations
for women working in conflict areas; a series which will culminate
in a fourth intercontinental consultation in the Netherlands in 2001.
The main goals of the consultation were to provide a space where women
from European conflict areas, with experience and interest in building
bridges between communities in conflict, could exchange ideas and
experiences, find support, and deepen their understanding of nonviolent
conflict resolution.
(Laura, please link the words: intercontinental consultation to the
pdf file called int-cons report)
To read the report
from the European Consultation, click
here >
To order the
video from the Europe Consultation, please contact the
WPP office.
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