WILPF AGM

March 15th 2008

On this day, dedicated WILPF members across the nation got together to debate, reflect and recall achievements, annual highlights and pressing matters at the AGM. We were lucky to have Krishna Ahooja Patel, President of India WILPF, as keynote speaker presenting "Women's International Resistance to Conflict".

Krishna touched upon the lack of economic distribution from business' to the rest of society and how women are true victims of war. The link between poverty and conflict opened my eyes to the irresponsibility of so many large corporations who do little in sustaining development. With the increase number of conflicts across the world, there is also an increased number of violence made against women. In the 21st century, people wonder why women's peace organisations still exist - because equality and peace still hasn't prevailed. Women even in the UK are continually being raped, discriminated against, and in extreme cases, being trafficked across the world. If the world was so safe today, then why are millions of women in Africa being raped by militias and rebel forces over the fight for resources?

Krishna said, "Globalisation has not led to globalised wealth but to globalised poverty" meaning development is required in every country to improve's women's situations. This means educating not only women in society but also men. We need more men to be involved in women's organisations to enforce these understandings and empowerment of women in society and homes.

After the AGM, I attended Amy Barrow's workshop "Working through the United Nations". I didn't find this as insightful as the rest of the group did. I already know quite a bit about the UN, at that time writing a thesis about Japan and the UN. However, I managed to contribute to the group discussion, making suggestions to how WILPFers needed to be educated about the UN so that we can have a more effective relationship with our international office in UN Geneva. Without understanding the system, lobbying the government and changing policies will be a challenge, when members don't know what is already in place and how changes come about.

Well done for Finn Mackay in presenting a very moving speech regarding our Emergency Resolution on prostitution. This moved me to become an activist for WILPF's Violence Against Women working group.
My focus is researching exit strategies for women coerced into prostitution, with a particular focus on training and putting women back into 'respectable' roles at work. Time to contact a few reporters, trade unionists and job centres on their views.