This initiative springs from the Voksenaasen Dialogue Conference on Genocide in November 2007, which resulted in a statement on Genocide and Mass Violence and called for a process to further address the issues of mass violence. The initiators identified a need for a broad approach to pursue women’s strategies to overcome violence, including genocide and mass atrocities, and to integrate a perspective of women from the global South.

The conference will in particular look at the process and achievements related to the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security from October 2000. The conference is a contribution and response to the Resolution from researchers and civil society organisations that look at what has been achieved and where we go from here, urging the UN and its member States to truly “remain seized on the matter". The resolution recognises among other things

that civilians, particularly women and children, account for the vast majority of those adversely affected by armed conflict, including as refugees and internally displaced persons, and increasingly are targeted by combatants and armed elements, and recognizing the consequent impact this has on durable peace and reconciliation (Preamble)

and it aims

to ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict.

The conference is a three-day conference dedicated to issues regarding UNSCR 1325, followed by a half-day NGO networking meeting on 26 November.

The topics will span broadly and we invite the broader global community to take part, including women’s rights activists, NGOs and researchers, as well as UN and government representatives.

The conference program is based on a preparatory conference held in Zambia in August 2008, organised by the Zambian organisation Women for Change. The preparatory conference involved a planning session where the voices from the South had the possibility identify burning issues and challenges from the perspectives of women from the global South.