[women-rights] Women combatants and the promotion of humanitarian rules - round tables held in Geneva

2-09-2004 ICRC News 04/104 -- A series of round-table meetings was held in
Geneva last week to discuss how women combatants can help promote
humanitarian rules. At the invitation of the organization Geneva Call,
women belonging to non-State armed groups from some 20 war-torn countries
exchanged views and compared notes on their experiences.

The program for the study of international organization(s) at Geneva's
Graduate Institute of International Studies co-hosted the meetings.

Two members of the Women and War unit at the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC) took part in one of the exchanges as moderator and
facilitator respectively. They opened the session with a talk on
international humanitarian law and its application to women in armed
conflicts. For some years now the ICRC has been endeavouring to gain a
better insight into the many ways in which women experience war as either
victims or participants. The organization attaches great importance to
discussion of the issue as a means of promoting compliance with
humanitarian law.

Last week's round tables dealt with the following questions: Why do women
become involved in armed struggle? What specific role do they play within
armed groups? What problems do women and girls face in the process of
disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating into society? What specific
difficulties arise for girls involved in armed groups?

The participants exchanged views on knowledge and understanding of
humanitarian rules, implementing those rules within armed groups, and
their ability, as women, to influence the conduct of the other members of
their group. They also discussed the usefulness and judiciousness of
promoting humanitarian rules within these groups. The common aim of all
the round tables was to better understand how women experience war and how
this differs from the experience of men.

The report on the exchanges, along with the participants' recommendations,
should be published by the end of the year.

For further information on Geneva Call, and to access the report when it
is published, please consult the following website: info@genevacall.org



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