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Press Release: UN Solution of Leaving Men in Homs Could Result in Another Srebrenica

30 January 2014

The Association of “Mothers of the enclaves Srebrenica and Žepa” has released a statement in reaction to Brahimi’s recent proposal regarding Homs:

“Do not let Srebrenica happen all over again! Lakhdar Brahimi, the special envoy of the UN for Syria has proposed a solution to the crisis in the city of Homs: they are about to agree that the women and children will get safe passage out of Homs while the men remain. He says humanitarian assistance can then be provided. The Association of ‘Mothers of the enclaves Srebrenica and Žepa’ painfully remember a similar ‘solution’ being brokered for Srebrenica and we look upon the consequences today – thousands of graves.” 

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) joins the Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa in warning the international community and the UN to avoid repeating past mistakes.

In 1995, the UN declared Srebrenica a “safe area,” but it was not. Men were separated from the women and girls with the promise that they would be evacuated. The result was genocide.

Kofi Annan has admitted that the action of the UN in Srebrenica reflected “serious errors of judgment,” and resulted in the organisation bearing some of the responsibility for failing to prevent the subsequent massacre.

“Our sources in Homs are rejecting the options being put forward. There are alternatives and those negotiating should explore them, using the experience and knowledge of local civil society before there is another massacre” says Madeleine Rees, Secretary General of WILPF, “Homs is not the only area under siege. Broader and more inclusive discussions must take place and all interested parties should secure a solution in accordance with their international legal obligations.”

Established in 1915, WILPF is active in 32 countries. Its mission is to end and prevent war, ensure that women are represented at all levels in the peace-building process, defend the human rights and promote social, economic and political justice.

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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.

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