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Women's peace NG0 withdraws participation from upcoming U.S.-based event

Xinhua, February 10, 2017 Adjust font size:

In light of the recent U.S. travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) said Friday that it would not take part in the 61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York's UN headquarters next month.

"The U.S. travel ban is just the latest in a series of obstacles to women's meaningful participation in international fora," WILPF Secretary General Madeleine Rees said in a statement.

"We had intended to have events profiling women from Yemen, and other Middle East countries affected by conflict. This is no longer possible. As a matter of principle... we have decided to withdraw our participation," she added.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month barring citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen for 90 days from traveling to the United States, as well as suspending the U.S. refugee program for four months in a bid to "protect Americans from terrorist attacks."

The motion has since been overturned, with a federal appeals court refusing on Thursday to reinstate the controversial ban.

Rees pointed out that women from the affected countries had either been denied visas or were unable to attend with certainty the CSW to voice "their struggles for equality, freedom, and nonviolence shared with fellow activists and decision-makers around the world."

In light of this, Rees said that WILPF would redirect its focus and scheduled activities to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, as well as other forums "that allow all women irrespective of nationality, race, language or religion to speak."

Founded in 1915, WILPF is the world's oldest women's peace non-governmental organizations and was one of the first NGOs to be granted consultative status with the UN. Endit