WILPF International on Syria

WILPF Advocacy Documents

Date/month:

23 February 2012

Document type:

Position

WILPF joins Amnesty International and other NGO’s in demanding that there be a general ceasefire in Syria and that the Syrian government comply with its obligations under international law.

The doctrine of the responsibility to protect prioritises the role of the regional mechanisms in addressing situations which fall under pillar three, ie to take “timely and decisive” action to prevent and halt mass atrocities when a State is “manifestly failing” to protect its populations. Hence the role of the Arab League is vital. The League has requested the Security Council authorise the sending of peacekeepers, an action that will almost certainly be refused, not least since the invocation of R2P in SCR1973 on Libya was interpreted as legitimizing military intervention by NATO. The consequences of that intervention have been continued large-scale violence and violations of international law. This approach must not be repeated.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken of the mounting evidence of Crimes Against Humanity in Syria. Engagement by the international community is therefore legitimate and necessary to ensure an immediate cessation of hostilities, the creation of humanitarian corridors and assistance to the civilian population. Such corridors must be respected by all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities.

The international community has a role in assisting this process. Specifically, WILPF urges that support from existing multilateral bodies be requested, in particular, the OSCE. Through the existing relationship with its Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, the OSCE can use its experience in other contexts to provide non-militarized monitoring and assessment in Syria itself. The OSCE’s Platform for Co-operative Security supports the advancement of comprehensive security within the OSCE region, promotes human rights, controls the traffic of arms and promotes border security, all of which are growing concerns in the Syrian crisis. Since its founding, the OSCE has stressed the inter-linkages between European and Mediterranean security and has significant experience in mounting Field Operations to promote peace and security. The OSCE is well-placed to support the Arab League’s existing diplomatic efforts in Syria.

Once peace is restored, it is incumbent on the international community to provide appropriate assistance in bringing perpetrators of crimes to Justice, establishing the rule of law and peace to both Syria and the region. Sustainable peace and security will only be achieved through the participation of women and by ensuring that the political economy of discrimination is addressed, both in law and in practice.

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region.

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.

WILPF Advocacy Documents