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Celebrating Feminists’ Voices, Inspiring Global Peace

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#HiddenLetters

Words as Resistance: WILPF and the team behind the Hidden Letters Movie Partner to Uplift Women’s Voices

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the producers of the Hidden Letters movie  have partnered to uplift women’s voices. Through virtual exhibitions, workshops, and events, this collaboration seeks to spark a global dialogue on gender issues. Together, we are amplifying women’s voices, fostering alliances, and inspiring a transformative journey towards a more inclusive and equitable world.

Image credit: WILPF
  • 3 min
WILPF International Secretariat
2 December 2023

Hidden Letters illuminate the enchanting and secret world of the Nushu writing system, ingeniously forged by Chinese women to navigate oppressive marriages. From the cryptic subtleties of French verlan to the intricate web of Gullah and a myriad of other clandestine languages that have thrived throughout history, the world of hidden languages bears witness to the unwavering resilience of the human spirit. No society’s attempts to stifle voices have gone unchallenged; instead, they’ve ignited the creation of secret voices that serve as extraordinary underground support systems, fostering sisterhood, unity, and unwavering solidarity among those who have weathered unfathomable trials.

Hidden Letters merges seamlessly with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), intertwining the rich tapestry of hidden languages into an inspiring narrative of hope and progress—a daring challenge to the prevailing patriarchal order. Embark on an extraordinary journey with us, one filled with creativity, resilience, and the transformative power of artistic expression.

In a world where women’s voices have been stifled for far too long, this transformative partnership recognises the unrivaled potency of art as a catalyst for change. Picture this: women from all walks of life fearlessly stepping forward to express their experiences, challenge societal norms, and dismantle oppressive structures. Their paintbrush becomes their megaphone, their words become their instrument for change, and their creations a resounding call for justice.

Together, WILPF and Hidden Letters will launch a powerful campaign that will not only inspire but also provide a platform for women to showcase their extraordinary talents. Virtual exhibitions, workshops, and captivating events will celebrate and uplift women activists, igniting a global dialogue on gender issues that demand urgent attention. But this collaboration doesn’t stop there. Activists, artists, policymakers, and the wider public will come together, united by a shared determination to reshape society’s attitudes and dismantle oppressive structures. 

Let’s harness the extraordinary power of art to challenge the patriarchal system and carve a path towards a more inclusive, equitable, and awe-inspiring world! 

About Hidden Letters

YouTube video

Spanning between past and present, from sunken rice fields and rural villages to bustling metropolitan cities, Hidden Letters follows two millennial Chinese women who are connected by their fascination with Nushu and their desire to protect its legacy. In Jiangyong, Hu Xin works as a Nushu museum guide and aspires to master the ancient script following the breakup of her marriage. In Shanghai, Simu is passionate about music and Nushu, but marital expectations threaten to end her pursuit of both. Influenced by Nushu’s legacy of female solidarity, the two women struggle to find balance as they forge their own paths in a patriarchal culture steeped in female subservience to men.

Curious to know more? 

Visit our campaign page and www.hiddenlettersfilm.com to embark on a captivating journey that will leave you inspired and eager to be a part of our feminist peace movement. 

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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.

Your donation isn’t just a financial transaction; it’s a step toward a more compassionate and equitable world. With your support, we’re poised to achieve lasting change that echoes through generations. Thank you!

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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.