Women facing war [Archives:2003/626/Local News]
Under the auspices of the Minister of Information, Mr. Hussein Dhaofallah.and on the occasion of marking the Women's International Day 8th March, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sana'a, organized a press conference launching the “Women Facing War” study in Arabic, on Thursday 6th March at Mercure Hotel-Sana'a.
Dr. Waheeba Fara'e, Minister of Human Rights, and Mr. Ahmed Naser al-Hamati, Vice Minister of Information, along with Mr. Jorg G. Cunz, Head of delegation of ICRC and a number of interested people attended the event.
Addressing the event Dr. Fara'e pointed out that war is a human issue especially nowadays in which possible war shadows cast on the region and it is our duty to work hard to stop war that will be definitely be a disaster to humanity.
“Women and children are the weakest and the real victims of these wars. The war-makers do not care about them. They do not care to the weapons they use and the aftermath destruction.
In addition, the big burden is on women who lose their beloved ones and search for them, taking economically, socially and health responsibility of their children and be the only supporters to them”
Al-Hamati also delivered speech in which he congratulated all the women on the occasion of International Women's Day and invited all mothers and wives to stand hand in hand to stop their husbands and sons engaging and participating in the US-possible war against the innocent and defenseless people.
” For many successive years we have been watching that cruel massacres in Palestine that become a usual sight to look at on all TV screens and the international world turn blind eye on. The night has an end. We claim US to stop practice terror against innocent people under so-called terror fighting. Finally we appreciate every woman role in building the societies and future and we put a kiss on her and give each one a flower on IWD occasion. We dream that peace will prevail in the world and the smile will come back to every child” he added.
Mr. Gunz said ” The plight of women in wartime is a subject of considerable importance for the ICRC, which organizes that raising awareness of this issue goes hand in hand with raising awareness of the protection afforded women by international humanitarian law”
“Unfortunately, today we don't have to look far to see the devastating effect on civilians and particularly on women of armed conflict. If a new war were to take place, the ICRC will hope for the last minute that a war in Iraq can still be averted” he further commented.
The study Women Facing War is about women's suffering in situations of armed conflicts stressing that women are not only victims, but also exposed to attacks and threats, and sometimes they are especially targeted.
The study gives a deep analysis mainly about International Humanitarian Law (IHL), also about Human Rights and Refugees Law as a tool to evaluate the protection offered by these laws to women. It contains a general view on the ICRC's practical response to women's need as victims of armed conflicts. The study stresses that it is important that the general and special protection provided by IHL is becoming a reality, assuring that the problem lies not in the international laws themselves but in implementing and respecting these laws.
Besides the conference there was a photo exhibition showing women's suffering during armed conflicts all over the world.
——
[archive-e:626-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-03-10-p:ln]
