However, women's roles in and contributions to conflict resolution areunderutilized or wholly ignored in mainstream peace building and constitution making processes. Nevertheless, women all over the world aredevising creative and effective strategies to ending wars and buildingpeace. In doing so, they are forming strong coalitions that reach across religious, ethnic and political divides. Their activism in the field ofpeace building and constitution-making is complementing their wider strugglefor gender equality. Contemporary women peace builders and constitution makers can offer valuableinsights and may contribute to a gendered knowledge about their approaches to peace building and constitution making. Yet, little has been made to glean more information about their initiatives or to develop a comparativeanalysis of their strategies.This conference marks a small step in this direction. For this conference wehave invited women activists from conflict areas including Burundi, Liberia,Sierra Leone, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Cambodia,Sri Lanka, Colombia, and Northern Ireland. We have also invited leading academics and specialists who have researched the theme of women and peace.We hope to create a platform for the sharing of experiences and strategies amongst women, who are either experts in the subject, and/or have played andactive role in the peace building and constitution making process of theirrespective countries.

The objectives of the conference are:· To identify and articulate the effect of war on women and the gender specific needs of women during times of war.· To contribute to an understanding of women;s roles in peace building andconstitution making;· To develop strategies for supporting, developing and enhancing women;speace building and constitution making capacities at multiple levels;· To improve the cross-regional and cross-cultural exchange on the subject;The International Centre for Ethnic Studies firmly believes that the furtherinclusion of women in the peace building and constitution making process inSri Lanka holds potential for achieving peace and reconciliation in thecontext of its own protracted ethnic conflict. With this in mind, thisconference will bring together women from all walks of life in Sri Lanka,ranging from academics, to officials in government ministries, to women peace workers at the grassroots level. It is hoped that this conference willenrich and invigorate their own work, while laying the foundation for thecreation of an international network of women who are committed to workingon issues of peace building and constitutional reform.The ICES will pay for your economy class fare and meet local costs and expenses. We place high priority on your presence and participation and lookforward to a positive reply . We would be grateful if you would respond to our invitation by the 1st of January 2002.

SUBMISSIONS REQUESTED BY: March 10, 2002
( Early submission is recommended for best choice of sessions.
Submissions after this date are considered for evening or replacement sessions as space permits )

List of Presenters
http://ahpweb.org/cbi/icr_presenters.html

LOTS more details at website.

GenderPAC is the national organization working to ensure every American's right to express their gender free from stereotypes, discrimination, and violence.

2003  2004  2005