International Women Leaders Global Security Summit

International Women Leaders Global Security Summit November 15-17, 2007 New York, New York A project of In partnership with The Essential Leadership of Women  Electing and appointing women into positions of leadership is essential to changing the face of leadership.  Women leaders represent experience from nontraditional paths of power. Key Summit Themes  Real security means utilizing all available resources.  Real security means strengthening existing mechanisms of accountability.  Women’s empowerment leads to increased security for all.  Human and state security must be integrated in order to achieve a more secure world. Existing Tools Maintaining International Peace & Security United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women The Responsibility to Protect International Humanitarian Law (e.g., the Geneva Conventions) Maintaining International Peace & Security  The United Nations  The World Bank/IMF  NATO  The European Union  The African Union  The Organization of American States  The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Empowering Women Achieving Lasting Peace and Security  The empowerment of women will lead to increased security for all.  Eliminating social, cultural, political and economic discrimination against women is a prerequisite for sustainable security.  Millions of women and girls confront threats daily to their security in both the public and private sphere. Human & State Security States must protect not only their borders, but also their people. Security Threats Where Women Leaders Can Make a Big Impact Climate Change Responsibility to Protect Economics of Insecurity Preventing Terrorism(s) Summit Theme 1 Climate Change  Climate change is a major challenge to the security and survival of humankind in the 21st century.  Climate change could exacerbate existing environmental crises, such as drought, water scarcity, conflicts over land and floods, and may also trigger massive migrations.  Climate change disproportionately affects those already living precarious lives. Decreasing the Impact of Climate Change Contributions of Summit Participants Increase the number of women in leadership positions and gain additional support for infrastructure building and creative strategies to overcome negative environmental impact. Integrate human, gender and environmental security approaches. Summit Theme 2 The Responsibility to Protect New international norm Referred to as R2P Encompasses to states’ obligations toward their populations and all populations at risk of genocide or large-scale atrocities Enforcing the Norm Contributions of Summit Participants Continue raising awareness of the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls. Increase R2P champions worldwide Summit Theme 3 Economics of Insecurity  Half the world's population lives on less than $2 a day.  1.8 billion of these people live on less than $1 a day.  70 percent of those 1.8 billion are women.  340 million women around the world are not expected to survive to age 40.  35,000 children die each day of preventable causes.  One-fifth of the world’s people experience severe poverty and an additional half live in a chronic state of poverty and daily insecurity Reducing the Impact of Insecurity Contributions of Summit Participants Articulate alternative policy visions Play strategic roles in developing strategies and mechanisms needed to move beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and pro-poor economic reforms Summit Theme 4 Preventing Terrorism(s) Social, political and economic disenfranchisement may be exacerbated by globalization. The prevailing approach to counter-terrorism has produced heightened political tensions within and across societies, has renewed and perpetuated armed conflict and has contributed to widespread human suffering. Transforming Perceptions, Priorities and Alliances Contributions of Summit Participants Women’s leadership should be mobilized to help ensure a more holistic and inclusive approach to address the threats of terrorism. Outcomes & Commitments Members of the Summit community are working to incorporate the goals and objectives of the Summit into their current work, pursue the commitments they have already made and continue to make new commitments. Track II Diplomacy A Roundtable Discussion  Galvanize women leaders and stakeholder organizations  Create an informal association of like-minded and energetic leaders with the ability and opportunity to respond to crises and potential crisis situations  Facilitate an in-depth analysis and discussion of how women diplomats work toward building sustainable, durable peace and security Call to Action “Our different cultures and backgrounds are unified by our common sense of urgency and shared resolve to ensure that all people may live free from fear and want. We commit to supporting effective policies that increase human and state security and challenge affronts to both.” Call to Action As of March 2008, more than 230 leaders have signed on. More than a dozen websites have featured the Call to Action. To sign on to the Call to Action visit www.WomenandGlobalSecurity.org. Situation in Kenya The Summit community reconnected when asked by a Summit member to follow closely the developing situation in Kenya. For more information or to connect with the women leaders working in Kenya, contact Michelle Bologna at michelle.bologna@eginitiative.org. 2009 International Colloquium Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security Empowering women at various levels to become effective leaders. http://www.internationalcolloquium.com March 7-8, 2009 Monrovia, Liberia Why Women Leaders? Women leaders must:  Take advantage of and improve existing infrastructure of mechanisms for accountability.  Enhance women's voices and be more proactive and effective when working with the media to reframe the security debate.  Coordinate their efforts to make better use of and improve existing hubs of information gathering, analysis, messaging and action. For more information, to sign the Call to Action and to add your commitment to bringing about a more secure and just world, please visit: www.WomenandGlobalSecurity.org