Peacebuild eNewsletter
Peacebuild is a strong network of Canadian non-governmental
organizations, institutions, and individuals actively involved in peacebuilding practice and policy development.
Peacebuild’s working groups bring together members interested in particular thematic
areas such as Children & Armed Conflict, Conflict Prevention, Gender & Peacebuilding, Peace Operations,
and Small Arms & Light Weapons. Additionally, the network works on other peacebuilding-related topics.
SMALL ARMS WORKING GROUP (SAWG)
Review Summit on Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence & Development
SAWG members Ken Epps (Project Ploughshares) and David Jackman (Quaker United Nations Office) will attend the Review Summit on the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development on September 12, 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Endorsed by 88 states, the 2006 Geneva Declaration commits to supporting "initiatives to prevent and reduce human, social and economic costs of armed violence, to assess risks and vulnerabilities, to evaluate the effectiveness of armed violence reduction programmes, and to disseminate knowledge of best practices."
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Summit Details and Draft Agenda
IANSA Statement on Gender and Armed Violence
At the Third UN Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms (July 14-18, 2008), the International Action Network on Small Arms' (IANSA) Women's Network issued a statement highlighting the importance of gender perspectives and human security in the small arms process. Maribel Gonzalez, Coordinator of Peacebuild's Small Arms Working Group, participated in the drafting of the statement, which advances a number of recommendations to participating States. Of particular importance is the fact that, irrespective of how small arms clearly affect men and women differently, the UN Program of Action on Small Arms (PoA) contains only one single reference to gender: Paragraph 6 of the Preamble simply expresses "grave concern" about the devastating consequences of the illicit trade in small arms for children "as well as the negative impact on women and the elderly" (UN 2001). Young men, the primary perpetrators and victims of armed violence, are not mentioned at all.
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UN Program of Action on Small Arms (PoA)
IANSA's Women's Network Statement on Gender and Armed Violence
Draft report of the Third Biennial Meeting of States to
Consider the Implementation of the Programme of Action
to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small
Arms and Light Weapons
IANSA's Response to the Biennal Meeting
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Candlelight Vigil Honours Aid Workers
A candlelight vigil was held in honour of Jackie Kirk and Shirley Case on Monday, August 18th, at the Monument to Canadian Aid Workers in Ottawa
Jackie and Shirley were killed Wednesday, August 13, in the Logar Province of Afghanistan. They were traveling with another aid worker, Nicole Dial, and a driver, Mohammad Aimal, when their car was ambushed and all four were killed.
This is a profound tragedy for Jackie and Shirley's families and friends and our deepest sympathy goes out to them.
Jackie, a long term member of Peacebuild, believed in the power of education to transform the lives of women and girls living under the most difficult conditions imaginable. She shared her extensive knowledge and commitment as a writer, an educator, a technical advisor and as a participant in non-governmental networks in Canada and abroad. Her death is an immeasurable loss.
Extract on Peacekeeping/ Peacebuilding from G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit Leaders Declaration, July 8 2008
"69. We commit to strengthen humanitarian, stabilization, military and reconstruction assistance, consistent with our national laws, to the areas of urgent need. To that end, we will improve our individual and collective efforts and capability for peacekeeping and peacebuilding."
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