An Open Letter from Zonta International

Charo Mina-Rojas, an Afro-Colombian human rights defender, speaking at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security

Zonta International joined 390 other organizations in signing an open letter to support women and women’s organizations from conflict-affected countries. All are calling for “political and financial support from the international community, not empty promises.”

This action was taken on October 16, 2017, just days after the United States government enacted the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on October 6, 2017. The bipartisan act will strengthen efforts to prevent, mitigate, and resolve conflict by increasing women’s participation in negotiation and mediation processes. 

Here are three things you should know about the new law:

It recognizes the critical link between women’s participation and peace – Research shows that higher levels of gender equality are associated with a lower propensity for conflict, both between and within states. And data from countries around the world demonstrate that women’s inclusion in peacekeeping units, police forces, and the security sector improves accountability and decreases abuses against civilians.

It requires a U.S strategy to grow women’s participation in security efforts – The law requires training for diplomats, development professionals, and security personnel to support the inclusion of female negotiators, meditators, and peace builders around the world.

It reflects a growing global movement to advance women’s inclusion in the security sector – To date, 69 countries have launched national action plans to increase women’s participation in security processes and improve women’s protection from threats of violence. These countries range from developing nations like Afghanistan and Kenya to high-income countries like Japan and the United Kingdom.

You can read the open letter here. Be sure to scroll down to see all 391 signatories, with Zonta International at the end. The list is impressive!

COMING UP: Zonta Rose Day is March 8, which coincides with International Women’s Day.