The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) policy program here at GlobalCops recognizes that women must be critical actors in all our efforts to achieve sustainable international peace and security hence they are a prime target in times of war and conflict. The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) policy aims at promoting a gendered perspective and women’s equal and meaningful participation in peace processes, peacebuilding, countering violent extremism and state-building.
More importantly, we encourage a more robust partnership between women groups and men. We believe that having the men accompany and support the goals of our women will have enduring positives going forward.
The participation of women is critical to the success of any peacebuilding, peacemaking and conflict resolution process – over the years, results have proven that when women are involved, they drive the process in a more acceptable manner, bringing a different perspectives and priorities to their men counterparts, and their role in re-establishing the social fabric in the aftermath of conflict is vital because they bear the brunt of war both during periods of, and after conflict.
All across the world, women have continued to be critical actors but the reality remains that they are often denied meaningful full participation in many peace processes in many and major peace processes in our world today.
On the other hand, however, the impact of violent extremism, transnational and organized crimes, as well as armed conflict upon women and children is enormous. Women have increasingly become specific targets of attack and are susceptible to marginalization, poverty, rape, trafficking, and the associated sufferings engendered by armed conflict. Women in refugee and IDP camps, and also whilst fleeing, face humiliation, sexual exploitation and a lack of physical security, factors which often lead to further stigmatization and sometimes death within the community.
Today, we are faced with the incessant attacks from global terrorists who respond to alienation or perceived injustice with murderous nihilism and other threats that come from state sponsors of terror allied to terrorists and from rising powers that could challenge the foundation of International Peace and Security. So we simply can no longer afford to deny the full potential of one-half of the population. Could you imagine how far we can contain the threat of violent extremism if women are empowered to play a critical role here? It is women who will dissuade their children and young adults to refrain from joining extremists or transnational gangs. The reason is that women are not only closer to their children, but they often have their ears. The world needs to tap into the talent and wisdom of women especially in times like this. Whether the issue is food security, economic recovery, health, violent extremism, or peace and security, the participation of women is needed now more than ever.
At GlobalCops, we encourage mainstreaming gender perspectives in peacebuilding initiatives to remain sustainable in the long-term, involving women in every level of the peace process. This will help contain endemic discrimination and gender-based violence which are significant barriers to Women, Peace and Security.
Our world today without women playing these critical roles will be meaningless.
Creating Awareness:
Through social media, street run activities (Run for Women), posters and billboard, television ads and one on one mentorship, we have continued to intensify awareness on the need to accord women their rightful position in the entire peace process chain. So far, we have reached astronomical numbers in terms of our awareness interventions. We also deploy bumper stickers (stickers of all kind), Print T-Shirts and other print materials with a message against “Violence Against Women”, human trafficking, and forced Labor and messaged in support of inclusiveness that we give out free of charge to young people in High Schools, Colleges and Universities around the USA & abroad. We also hold town halls, seminars, and conferences on this subject.