The Nobel Women's Initiative joins the global community in celebrating International Women's Week, today through 8 March.  It’s been 98 years since the first National Woman’s Day was observed around the world — a tradition that the United Nations adopted in 1975.

The Nobel Women’s initiative is working to strengthen and expand the global movement to advance nonviolence, peace, justice and equality.  This week, and throughout the year, we encourage you to join us in supporting the advancement of women's rights around the world.  In Ottawa, Canda, the Nobel Women's Initiatve teamed up with local, national and international organizations to host a debate, film screening, and the first annual Femmy Awards at an event to celebrate International Women's Day.  Read about the event here. 

Harassment of Shirin Ebadi and Iranian Human Rights Workers Continues

In December, Iranian police raided and shut down the offices of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre led by Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi.  The centre's closing prompted women Nobel Peace Laureates to reach out to world leaders to condemn Iran’s ongoing harassment of human rights defenders in Iran.

In early January a violent demonstration outside the home and offices of Ebadi further alarmed Nobel Peace Laureates and the global community. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and Human Rights Watch urged Iran's government to immediately end its "campaign of persecution" against Ebadi.

Since the attacks against Shirin Ebadi's home and offices in January 2009, multiple arrests have been made on human rights defenders in association with the Nobel Peace Laureate and harassment is ongoing.

See action by NWI and read more on our News page.  Take action below.



Nobel Laureates Issue Statement in Support of ICC Role in Sudan

In response to the announcement by the International Criminal Court of the issuance of an arrest warrant for the President of Sudan, Omar al Bashir, the Nobel Women’s Initiative released a statement supporting the ICC process and urging friends of Sudan in the international community to allow the court to do its work.

The Laureates are hopeful that with its global reach, the ICC has the potential to ensure that justice is a pillar of peace in Sudan, and globally.

Read the full statement here.   Take action below.



End Violence and Attacks in Gaza: Nobel Laureates Urge UN and Member States to Take Action

In January, the women Peace Laureates issued a statement strongly condemning Israel’s attacks on the Gaza strip.  The statement echoed the response of people around the world calling the military action illegal, immoral, and counterproductive.

“The people of Gaza are continuing to suffer one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies in the world. The international community must break its silence—and take action to insist Israel end the military attack on Gaza,” read part of the statement.

Read the statement.



Nobel Peace Laureates call on UN Secretary General to act for the Women of DRC

In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), war is being staged on women's bodies.  All sides in the on-going war are using rape as a tactic of war to terrorize communities and prompt displacement.  The women Nobel Peace Laureates have sent an open letter to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, urging him to do everything in his power to protect women and bring them into mediations and negotiations.

Read the statement.

Fiat Car Ad Supports Release of Aung San Suu Kyi

An ad released by the car company, Fiat, in January of 2009 features a number of Nobel Peace Prize winners arriving at the 9th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, and ends with a call for the release of imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.  The car ad has been run in nine European countries as a public service ad, and was part of Fiat's sponsorship of the summit. 

Read a Wall Street Journal article about the campaign and view the ad here.

Peace Activists Call on Tehran to Ensure Safety of Shirin Ebadi and Iranian Human Rights Defenders

The Campaign for Peace and Democracy is calling for signatures on a petition to the Iranian government urging for them to "to cease and desist from the threats to Shirin Ebadi, to move immediately to prevent any further harassment, and to ensure Shirin Ebadi's safety and security." 

Sign the petition here.

The Feminist Majority Foundation has also issued a petition demanding the safety of Ebadi, as well as her colleague, Jinous Sobhani, who was arrested on the fourteenth of January. 

Sign the petition here.

Sudanese Government Expels Aid Agencies from Darfur

In response to the indictment of President al Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the government of Sudan expelled 13 humanitarian aid agencies from the country this week, increasing the risk of millions of people who depend on these agencies for survival.

Sign the International Rescue Committee's petition to keep humanitarian aid in Sudan here.

Solutions and Soundbytes: January 28th and 29th, 2009

Thirty peace and security experts from around the world including academics, human rights advocates and journalists came together for a two-day meeting in January to discuss strategies for putting women's rights on the international security agenda.

The Nobel Women's Initiative sponsored the meeting to gather insights into how the organization may more effectively amplify the voices of women and the centrality of women's rights in peacebuilding around the world. Participants focused on examples of successful women's rights activism on conflict and what specific strategies and key messages worked most powerfully with decision makers and media.

Read more.

Upcoming Information and Strategy Session: Burma Tribunal:  March 10th, 2009

Representatives from the Womens League of Burma (WLB), and Nobel Women's Initiative staff and colleagues are hosting an information and strategy session on a planned Nobel Peace Laureates Tribunal on Burma in New York.

As WLB and NWI embark on the Tribunal planning process, we are seeking input and involvement from activists and partners.  This session will convene Burma activists, women's rights experts and other allies on the margins of the UN Commission on the Status of Women to discuss the planned Tribunal and maximize co-ordination among organizations and initiatives.

WHEN: March 10th, 6:00 pm
WHERE: 11th floor conference room at the Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, United Nations, New York

For more information on the Tribunal, or the strategy and information session, please contact Erin Simpson at esimpson (at) nobelwomensinitiative.org or 613-569-8400 ext 112.

Background:

The Nobel Womens Initiative, together with the Womens League of Burma and global allies, is considering creating an international Peoples Tribunal on crimes and human rights abuses in Burma, with a particular emphasis on women's civil, political, social and economic rights.  The Tribunal would feature prominent human rights experts, judges, Nobel Peace Laureates, and activists from within and outside Burma, and would hold hearings in 2010, possibly in conjunction with the March 2010 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and the 15th Anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women.  The Tribunal would not be designed as an alternative justice process for the people of Burma. Instead, the tribunal would shine a spotlight on ongoing human rights abuses inside Burma.