WCC news: Weaponizing Women in War” presentation will bring insights, case studies from global experts

A hybrid event on 8 December will offer insights from global experts on the topic “Weaponizing Women in War.” Photo: WCC 29 November 2023 Speakers will include Madeleine Rees, secretary general of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine), laureate of Nobel Peace Prize 2022 and the Right Livelihood Award 2022, among others. Co-organized by the World Council of Churches and Lutheran World Federation, the webinar will offer participants and speakers the opportunity to discuss the direct impact of war on women and children. Topics will include the old concept of “comfort women,” where women are forced to entertain soldiers against their will; and incidences where, as a sign of victory, the victors indiscriminately rape women from the defeated communities. Discussions will also cover using women for reconnaissance activities, and using women and children as human shields, or for leverage for food. The event will bring together experts from human rights, racial justice, gender justice, health and healing, sociological anthropology/political science backgrounds as well as from faith-based settings.  Case studies, while sharing the grim realities of weaponizing women, will also show examples of effective interventions, as well as ways of building resilience.  Participants can attend in person in Geneva and online. The event is offered as part of the campaign 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence, which ends 10 December, Human Rights Day. Speakers include: Madeleine Rees, secretary general, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom  Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine), laureate of Nobel Peace Prize 2022 and the Right Livelihood Award 2022 Thomas Tongun Leone, medical doctor, coordinator of Catholic Health Commission of South Sudan Carla Khijoyan, programme executive for the Middle East, World Council of Churches  Joy Eva Bohol, regional migration specialist-Europe, United Methodist Committee on Relief Sikhonzile Ndlovu, advocacy officer for Gender Justice, Lutheran World Federation  More information and registration details See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland