Rural Community Media Network On UNSCR1325 In FIJI TO COMMEMORATE 12th Anniversary Of Ground Breaking Security Council
Resolution
October 30, 2012
Suva, Fiji Islands
“The Role of Women’s Civil Society Organisations in Contributing to Prevention and Resolution of Armed Conflict and
Peacebuilding” is a timely theme for the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security and in Labasa,
Tavua, Nadi and Nausori members of FemLINKPACIFIC’s rural community media network will consider key components of local
and national action plans on women, peace and security.
This follows the October 18th launch of the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security which was
developed by the Regional Working Group on Women, Peace and Security co-chaired by FemLINKPACIFIC, the Secretariat of
the Pacific Community and the UNDP: “The 2012 UN Secretary General’s report on Women, Peace and Security reiterates that
it is not enough for action plans to be developed for women to define their peace and security and the focus now should
be what women are saying about the peace and human security priorities into the development and security agendas and all
relevant policy and planning processes, including at the local level.” says FemLINKPACIFIC’s Executive Director, Sharon
Bhagwan Rolls, “The 1325+12 anniversary programme therefore builds on our monthly network meetings and women, peace and
human security reports.”
The network outputs, including community media documentation coordinated by FemLINKPACIFIC, she says is therefore paving
the way to enhance women’s participation in strengthening the peace and security architecture in Fiji. It is also
important, she added, that there is an integrated approach to linking CEDAW and UNSCR1325: “You cannot talk about
women’s peace and security agenda separate from a women’s human rights agenda, and the 12th anniversary of UNSCR1325 is
an important time to reaffirm and strengthen the mechanisms to promote and protect women’s human rights.”
FemLINKPACIFIC believes that the process of the development of a relevant National Action Plan on Women, Peace and
Security must demonstrate the true spirit of the resolution including facing head on the barriers to women’s
participation and supporting women’s spaces to continue to mobilize and develop civil society strategies:
“The way forward is to enhance women’s participation in conflict prevention (including the prevention of the resurgence
of conflict) which is an essential element of resolution 1325. “
Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, Executive Director: FemLINKPacific (www.femlinkpacific.org.fj)