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The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice.

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Women in Black Network from Serbia

Jug Bogdanova Belgrade Serbia 11 000 Tel: +381 11 26 23 225 Email Women in Black

• Mission
• Breaking News
• Advocacy
• Information/ News from Women in Black
  • Press Releases
  • Reports
  • Photographs
  • Other Multimedia
• Dissemination
  • AdvocacyNet
  • In the Media Highlights
• Networking
  • Outreach Partners

Mission

Women in Black's mission is to make visible nonviolent resistance to militarism, war, sexism, and nationalism. In short, all aspects of violence towards and discrimination against women and all those people different ethnically, religiously, culturally, sexually, and ideologically.  Their goal is to prevent and resolve conflicts through dialogue, and above all instigate the active participation of women in the building of peace, in peaceful processes, and demilitarization. (Source: Women in Black)

Breaking News

• Serbia Faces Low Intensity War Again (February 25, 2008)
• Women's Peace March and Street Performance Forbidden (March 7, 2008)

Advocacy

• Women in Black-Serbia holds vigils and protests several times a month in Belgrade's main square.  The women symbolically dress in black to demonstrate their grief and protest in silence since they "refuse to speak superfluous words." (Protests and Vigils)

• Since 1991, Women in Black has operated a men's support group for objectors and deserters of war.  The group gives political, emotional and moral support to such men, writes reports concerning the human rights situation of them, and provides an antimilitarist education. (Conscientious Objection and Antimilitarism)

• Women in Black supported the establishment of The International Criminal Court for the Former Yugoslavia (since 1992), demanded the establishment of an international court for war crimes and war rape, supported the movement for the passage of a law that would criminalize genocide denial, and a series of similar initiatives related to the Srebrenica Genocide. (Confronting the Past)

• Throughout 2005, Women in Black focused on the topic of peace, gender and security. Several regional conferences were organized; seminars / trainings were held in four regions of Serbia , during which they conducted many workshops concerning the interconnectedness of gender, peace and security. Moreover, during the course of 2005, the group launched campaigns related to the Security Council Resolution 1325 ‘Women, Peace, Security’, as well as engaged in a large number of street actions, performances, etc. (Security)

• Women in Black hosts Traveling Women's Peace Workshops that aim to encourage the development of civic society, women's self-organization and autonomy, women's solidarity, and to promote values such as peace, nonviolence, feminism, and anti-militarism.  The group also attends many conferences and holds many workshops, lectures and seminars. (Alternative Education)

• Women in Black and other organizations have launched a major campaign to pressure the Serbian government and international community to better protect Serbian women who defend human rights. (Advocates Launch Campaign to Protect Women Human Rights Defenders in Serbia)

To read more about what Women in Black advocates for, AP encourages you to visit their website.

Information/ News from Women in Black

• Press Releases

See Women in Black's homepage for their recent news.

Read a piece about a Women in Black activist joining in solidarity with an Albanian woman as her house was torn down on December 6, 2007.

Read Women in Black's Manifest on Secularism (December 9, 2007)

Women's Peace March and Street Performance Forbidden (March 7, 2008)

Kosovo – Serbia in the Aftermath of the Proclamation of Independence (April 8, 2008)

Women in Black's Participation in a Peaceful Protest with the Women of Srebrenica in Tuzla (April 8, 2008)

• Reports

Women in Black posts many of their publications online including "An Alternative History," "Women Against War," and educational material.

Serbia Faces Low Intensity War Again (February 25, 2008)

• Blogs

In 2007, AP sent AP Peace Fellow Gail Morgado to work with the Women in Black. Read Gail's blog.

• Photographs

Women in Black hosts their photographs, posters, graphics and leaflets online in their gallery.

• Other Multimedia

You can watch video clips from the movie "Always Disobedient" on Women in Black's website.

Women in Black has produced a documentary describing the last 15 years of peace activism. You can view it on You Tube in three parts: part one, part two, part three.

Dissemination

• AdvocacyNet

March 10, 2008
Serbian Government Bans Peace March Commemorating International Women's Day Amidst Kosovo Backlash

June 21, 2007
Advocates Launch Campaign to Protect Women Human Rights Defenders in Serbia

February 21, 2007
Serbian Press Seeks Jail for Women Peace Activists Who Advocate Independence for Kosovo

February 7, 2007
Women in Black Criticizes Serbian Politicians and Rejects a Nationalist Solution to the Kosovo Crisis

June 6, 2006
Serbian and Kosovar Women Call for an End to ‘Religious Ownership’ of Kosovo’s Churches and Mosques

• In the Media Highlights

July 12, 2005
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Marking The 10th Anniversary Of The Srebrenica Massacre
Radio Free Europe

July 1, 2005
Pompous ceremonies will do nothing without justice
The Guardian

For more, see Women in Black's Media page.

• Change.org/advocacy

October 30, 2007
Serbian and Kosovar Women Protest Against Military Spending in Kosovo

Networking

Outreach Partners

• Kosova Women's Network (KWN)

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