Statement from the Women’s Workshop on Peace-Building and Conflict Transformation

By 31 ethnic women’s organizations • February 3, 2013

Forty-six women representatives from 31 ethnic women’s organizations from various regions and states of Myanmar held a workshop on peace-building and conflict transformation in Yangon during January 30 – February 1, 2013.

Participating representatives issued the following position statement on the final day of the workshop:

1. In the state-run media on February 1, 2013, President Thein Sein announced that the time had come for all stakeholders to sit at the dialogue table to find solutions to end the losses and damages and to achieve durable peace as people desire.

Therefore, we call for an immediate end to the ongoing intense offensives in Kachin state.

Further, we call for special care and priority to be given to the protection of civilians, especially women and children. This is in compliance with the spirit and content of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, 1674, the Geneva Convention and the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which Myanmar is a party.

2. We respectfully request the inclusion of representatives from ethnic women’s civil society organizations in all aspects of peace processes undertaken by the government and ethnic organizations.

3. We urge donor organizations supporting Myanmar’s peace processes and organizations implementing peace programs to be transparent, inclusive and to ensure gender equality in all aspects of their work.

4. In other situations of conflict and violence such as in Rakhine State and at the Letpadaung copper mine, we call for impartial and transparent processes that result in effective solutions.

This statement is issued on the behalf of participants from: