Mujeres de Negro Madrid

AGAINST IMPUNITY! For the abolition of the immunity of members of peacekeeping missions of the UN! Initiating the global campaign of the International Network of Women in Black on the 13th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325 "Women, Peace and Security" On the 31st of October, 2000, the Security Council (SC) of the UN passed Resolution 1325 (R1325), "Women, Peace and Security". It was the first time that the UN Security Council called for the inclusion of women in peace processes and in the implementation of peace agreements. At least, those were the ideas behind the R1325, for which many peace activists all around the world have been working tirelessly. The R1325 focuses on four major points: (1) participation of women in peace processes and decision-making on peace. (2) Incorporate gender in peace processes and training on gender perspective in what we call "peacekeeping missions". (3) Protection of women in armed conflict and post-conflict situat...

Against military intervention in Syria Once again the guardians of democracy rise up as saviors, in this case, saviors of Syria. But when they speak of helping the Syrians, they speak of military support to the insurgents in order to defend their own interests in the area. While peaceful protests lasted, the international community looked aside. When Asad crushed them harshly: the uprising of the children of Deraa, the sit-ins and demonstrations of the young people and the country folks, there was no great echo in the conventional media. The conflict in Syria is not a conflict between good people and bad people. Al Asad is a lay dictator, but a dictator who has previously violated human rights with the tacit approval of all world leaders, and during this war he is carrying out a massacre of his citizens. On the other hand, the insurgents are a group of religious fanatics, foreign mercenaries, financed in large part by third countries and one and another rebel – one more conflic...

The army cannot defend What we want to defend Women in Black of Madrid consider that the army as an institution (we distinguish the military from the individual) does not defend what we want to defend. We want and we defend a society in which the State provides the conditions to ensure that all persons have the same rights and opportunities. We are experiencing an economic crisis in which those who govern develop policies that protect those who are responsible for the crisis and encumber the citizens with its consequences; they shield the financial structures and protect the large companies, which continue earning profits, while the situation for workers is more and more precarious and poverty increases. They want the structures of the State to be coffers for making money for the few and privatize education, public health, the justice system…They reduce social rights obtained through the years, such as workers’ rights or abortion, and give more power to the Catholic Church; they h...

Commemorating May 24th International Day of Women for Peace and Disarmament I declare myself an objector "From my position as a woman, and with the difficulty to be a woman, I declare myself a conscientious objector , not only refusing the existence of armies, but I also object to this economic, social and cultural model" (Milena Romero, Colombia). Ever since 1982 the 24th of May has been celebrated as The International Day of Women for Peace and Disarmament , a commemoration stemming from the numerous protests of feminist and pacifist women against the installation by NATO of nuclear missiles and opposition to wars and all militarist policies. Today, within the vast movement of feminist and pacifist women, we want to remember the women who are conscientious objectors to militarism . As Cynthia Enloe has stated, “ when we think about conscientious objection, at first we think about men. We make that assumption ”. In fact, it is only in two countries that women h...

Facing the situation of unemployment or exile of the young people because of the economic crisis Women in Black of Madrid think that the crisis is the pretext of our government to make budgetary cuts that oblige our young people to seek exile. Unemployment in this sector of the population has reached 57%. At the same time, the conflicts that are now taking place in other countries oblige their citizens to leave their respective countries in search of a living. Being uprooted is a factor in both cases, as well as frustration at not seeing their expectations fulfilled. The budgetary cuts result in increased restrictions in immigration laws of the wealthiest countries; deny social services to the migrants, who are at the same time criminalized; close welcoming institutions; and abolish subsidies to some NGOs, who find it necessary to close down. On the other hand, our country continues to export armaments, which is the same as exporting war, feeding this cycle of displacement and e...

Commemorating January 30th School Day for Nonviolence The women of the International Network of Women in Black join the petitions of all the Colombian Mujeres por la Paz Colombia: Open letter to the participants at the Negotiation Table Numerous women belonging to organizations and groups from very varied spheres and coming from all the regions of Colombia have united their voices in the collective Mujeres por la Paz (Women for Peace). In this way, they wish to be heard more forcefully because despite their constant mobilizations in favor of a negotiated outcome to the conflict, they have not seen their analysis reflected in the peace processes. Once again, they reaffirm their ethical and political commitment to the building of peace and a resolution to the social and armed conflict. They urge the government and the guerillas to not leave the Mesa de Dialogo (Dialogue Table) without reaching an agreement that will put an end to the Colombian conflict. They demand to be protagon...