Friday, March 8, 2013

Female Diplomacy in Action


This week of International Women’s Day is our time and space to showcase our achievements and potential. From Davos to DC, women’s contribution and involvement is strongly recommended and we are not politely waiting for the gentlemen power brokers to step aside.

Women are earning their place and unfurling their transformative power in all directions.
Security remains one of the last bastions of male dominance and the potential of women has been widely neglected in counter terrorism strategy. The primary focus is centered on intelligence, military operations and law enforcements. But there can be no political breakthrough without a human breakthrough. 



The attacks of 9/11 have changed the face of our world. We choose International Women’s Day to highlight the resilience and determination of a particular group of women, who are working on this breakthrough in an extraordinary way. Women without Borders/SAVE organized a workshop in Irvington, New York, where 15 women, who lost loved ones in the attacks shared their stories of how they rebuilt their lives. And, beyond that, they strategized how each one of them can contribute to a new culture of reconciliation and trust building on a global level. This is applied female diplomacy in action! Let’s honour their courage and watch the film “We Refuse to Hate”. 

Their message is clear:
“We are women of one fabric, and we must stand together, united, to make this a more peaceful world for all. Terrorists around the world forge a contract with death. We embrace life. Our loss should never be your loss.”



The vision of the group is reflected in the statement of one of the women:
“We are very aware that although 9/11 was the worst day of our lives, it was only one day. How are the women holding up in countries where terrorism is a daily threat, where the children fear that their parents might not come home every day?” 

Link to the film:





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Flash Points: Edit Schlaffer presents SAVE on CBS