Non-violent movements are effective agents of political and social change. The greater participation of women and their leadership in such movements results in the maintenance of non-violent discipline, greater success and the achievement of more gender inclusive results . It is therefore crucial to support women’s involvement and leadership in non-violent movements as part of supporting women’s political and social participation in peace building and processes. On the 19th of March, Berghof , SIHA , UPP , and PAX organized an official virtual parallel event as part of the 68th session of the Commission of the Status of Women . Three leading feminist peace activists and distinguished researchers from Syria, Sudan, and Iraq offered their insights on women’s inclusion in non-violent movements, the role of external actors in supporting women’s leadership and insider mediation in these settings. Women’s impact on non-violent movements Zahra Hayder, a leading Sudanese activist, opened the f
Artemis with the Nelson Mandela statue at the UN "This was the 3rd year for me to actually be AT the CSW in New York. Every year, I wonder, before I go, but also when I am there, whether it is useful that I am at the CSW in person. But then I get to work, as a lobbyist and poser of hard questions (a good Jewish tradition I share with the queen of Sheba) and I find that yes, it actually does make a difference that I am present. Come to think of it, every Dutch representative of any of the NGOs that travel to the CSW, or are at any of the other meetings in the Netherlands (UN NAP1325, to name just one) knows that it makes a difference I am there. They also know that I will manage to grab the microphone and ask my thought provoking questions, make government officials and cabinet members of the Netherlands, the Nordic Council, Mexico, or any other government side event that I walk into, THINK. Think whether their idea of Women’s Work, Women’s Place in the World, Women’s Contribution