International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Tuesday May 23, 2006 16:32 by Madam K - The Unmanageables

Irish Aviation Authority Building, Burgh Quay, Wednesday 9 a.m.

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Join The Ladies For Mourning Tea...

24 May, International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament (IWDPD).

This day began in Europe in the early 1980s, when hundreds of thousands of women organised against nuclear weapons and the arms race. Activists in the then-numerous women's peace groups declared the day in order to stimulate even more women's peace actions.

As the anti-nuclear weapons movement declined in Europe, so did activities on the day. A handful of international women peace activists, meeting in the Peace Tent at the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing, decided to re-vitalise the day, again in order to stimulate women's peace activities, but also to gain more recognition for what women activists are already doing.

Challenging militarism.

These two goals remain valid and important. There has been an increase in lip service to the idea that women have an essential role in building peace and challenging militarism. But the reality of sexism, both within peace movements and in the wider world, continues to undermine and block women's full participation.

IWDPD on 24 May is an opportunity to encourage more women to get involved in peace actions, to show concrete solidarity with women working for peace in the midst of conflicts and to celebrate peace women's accomplishments.