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Analysis
#SDGs

Sustainable Development 2014

In 2014, sustainable development processes consolidated from the two main processes around sustainable development discussions – around the 2000 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Rio conferences on sustainable development – into one primary “Post2015” sustainable development set of discussions. They also resulted in a proposal on Sustainable Development Goals and targets to be considered for negotiation and finalization in 2015.

Text reading Sustainable Development 2014 with a multi-colored circular pattern resembling the Sustainable Development Goals emblem on a blue background.
Image credit: WILPF
  • 3 min
WILPF International Secretariat
31 July 2014

WILPF has worked with a range of partners over the past years to promote a conflict and violence prevention approach to development that strengthens gender equality and peace.

Background 

Through examples in Syria, Colombia, and elsewhere, sustainable peace and development is not possible without the meaningful participation of women and integration of gender considerations. Men with arms fail again and again to redress gender inequalities, address root causes of insecurity, and build the frameworks for development. Stronger attention is needed in bridging the gaps between peace, human rights, gender equality and development. Because militarism is intricately connected to gender inequality and violence, we believe there can be no development without demilitarization, disarmament, and the full and equal participation and rights of women.

WILPF continues to call on the international community to build on existing frameworks, mechanisms, and indicators developed through the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in designing the Post2015 development agenda for gender equality and peace.

WILPF events on WPS and Post-2015

On 19 July 2014, the General Assembly’s Open Working Group affirmed by acclamation a proposal for the next generation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (click here to see the full proposal). Despite substantial opposition, the Open Working Group proposal included a stand alone goal to “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels” (Goal 16). It also included: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” (Goal 5). The proposal also included critical targets including reducing illicit arms flows (16.4), promoting a culture of peace and non-violence (4.7), ensuring inclusive and participatory decision-making (16.7) and ensuring equal access to justice for all (16.3). The draft Sustainable Development Goal proposal also included a key target on mobilizing additional financial resources (17.3), which will be critical to move from words to actions, and which WILPF reminded states to build on women’s rights commitments and include the reduction of military financing.

On 4 December 2014, the UN Secretary-General Post2015 Synthesis Report was released, which aimed to pull together essential elements for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals. This builds on the 19 July 2014 General Assembly Open Working Group proposal to have 17 Sustainable Development Goals which was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 2014, as well as on other discussions feeding into this process.

Although the Secretary General Synthesis Report of 4 December 2014 affirms the 17 goals proposed by the General Assembly Open Working Group — including on gender equality and peaceful societies —  it frames them within the context of six “essential elements”: People, Planet, Partnership, Justice, Prosperity, and Dignity. In the process, issues of gender, militarization, and conflict, and the Women Peace and Security agenda have been further weakened, and the overarching human rights framework further diluted.

Resources

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WILPF International Secretariat

WILPF International Secretariat, with offices in Geneva and New York, liaises with the International Board and the National Sections and Groups for the implementation of WILPF International Programme, resolutions and policies as adopted by the International Congress. Under the direction of the Secretary-General, the Secretariat also provides support in areas of advocacy, communications, and financial operations.

Matt Mahmoudi

Matt Mahmoudi (he/him) is a lecturer, researcher, and organizer. He’s been leading the “Ban the Scan” campaign, Amnesty International’s research and advocacy efforts on banning facial recognition technologies and exposing their uses against racialized communities, from New York City to the occupied Palestinian territories.

Berit Aasen

Europe Alternate Regional Representative

Berit Aasen is a sociologist by training and has worked at the OsloMet Metropolitan University on Oslo. She has 40 years of experience in research and consultancy in development studies, including women, peace, and security, and in later years in asylum and refugee studies. Berit Aasen joined WILPF Norway five years ago. She is an alternate member of the National Board of WILPF Norway, and representing WILPF Norway in the UN Association of Norway, the Norwegian 1325 network and the Norwegian Women’s Lobby. Berit Aasen has been active in the WILPF European Liaison group and is committed to strengthening WILPF sections and membership both in Europe and relations across continents.

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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.

A woman in a blue, black, and white dress smiles radiantly in front of a leafy green background.

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.