Beirut conference on 'Woman and armed conflict' :EU Parliamentarian Marie Banotti: A call to bridging the gap of understanding between the west and east
Regional-Lebanon, Politics, 3/8/2004

In the course of the abundant activities of the conference on Ò Women and armed conflictsÓ held in Beirut on March 8 and 9th Mrs. Marie Banotti, member of the European Parliament and its representative to the conference, said that she has been a member of the European parliament for twenty years. She added she hopes her participation in this conference will make some small contribution to bridging the gap of understanding that all to often, and tragically, exists between the west and east countries.

She said that the European image of the women from the Arab states are the weeping and tragic mothers who weep over their children and their dead men in their family in the context of the war in Israel and, of course, in Iraq. She indicated her particular love for Palestine as her daughter served for three years and lived in Gaza and she had the opportunity to visit her for many times and to know the tragedy of that country which continued all too awfully to this very day.

She recommended that for better understanding by the Europeans to the role of the Arab women Ówe need to know each other: the women from the West and the women from the Arab states."

She continued she served in a parliament that has over two hundred women members and that the European parliament condemned the Israeli practices, and that the European parliament was considerable opposed to the war in Iraq and many resolutions within the parliament condemned this. And many individuals who knew this part of the country and distrusted what the American government were proposing made their voices heard very strongly within the European parliament.

She continued that with the very high profile of educated women taking part in the conference, they would be a great recognition that Ò we have a very strong responsibility to bring the women who are not taking part, who do not have the kind of education we have been fortunate enough to have, to bring them along with us."

She quoted the Lebanese first lady as saying that Ó the rule of law includes the rights for women, not just because they are women but because they are universal Human rights.Ó

For reciprocated understanding between the east and the west, she recommended "we need to support each other. We can learn a great deal from each other. Education is at the heart of bringing women into their correct place in society. We need to normalize attitudes, which have all too often remained secret and hidden in the lives of our countries; confronting such issues as family violence, consulting such issues as the lack of human rights for women, not just during conferences, but also as a normalizing part of the life of any civilized country.

She urged the need for women Ôs lobbying in all walks of life and the voice of women to be heard in all areas of women lives: Politics, business, media, family policy, noting that when women are excluded because of the achievements of other women -- women feel that they are not as worthy, as well educated -- they fear the change , and can very often be the first source of resistance to including women in all aspect of political and national life. She indicated the need to have women recruited in the social areas, and in the political areas.

On behalf of the European parliament, she expressed hope that the Ò this is as successful a conference as it has already proved to be with the wonderful celebration of the conferenceÔs inauguration in Beirut.Ó She also expressed hope that through such bilateral meetings closer links can be forged with the women of Europe, through the European parliament. Nevertheless, studies show that armed conflicts and other forms of disputes have created a mass flow of refugees and displaced persons, mostly women, adolescent girls and children, creating an urgent need for implementation of cooperative approaches to peace and security.

Women Ôs full participation and involvement in authority and efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts are indispensable for the maintenance of peace and security and reduction of excessive military expenditures. Countless women Ôs non governmental organizations have called for such reductions, as well as cuts in the proliferation of weapons. They have also urged that displaced and refugee women be granted protection, assistance and be provided with training.

Mina Azar, chair of the National council of Lebanese women Ôs law committee said women Ôs strategic position as homemakers and professionals in society, can help them participate in conflict resolution at decision- making levels.

She added that the role of women in fostering a culture of peace and forgiveness can have a direct effect on families and society.

However, the sufferings of the Arab women from wars and armed conflicts have been continuous since more than 50 years, ever since the Israeli occupation of Palestine in 1948 from since when repeated wars caused more women and children to be killed or displaced.

The victims are more often from Palestine to the Golan to south Lebanon and before that in Egypt and Jordan, and in all these hotbed Arab areas, Arab women suffered the results of the destructive wars.

And since women in various areas of the world in the Golan, Palestine, Iraq, Bosnia m Afghanistan, Africa and Latin America are the victims of armed conflicts, the International committee of the Red Cross adopted the Ò women and war projectÓ and the project resulted in a Ò women in warÓ book.

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  World Women Summit calls for favorable environment for better participation of women   (7/2/2003)
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