OneWorld.net (U.S.)

The names of a thousand women from over 150 countries including 157 women from South Asia, who have been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize, were announced on June 29, 2005.

For over two years, a global group of women under the ‘1000 Women for Peace’ project, has been working to identify women working for peace in different parts of the world. They have submitted the names to the Nobel Committee in Oslo in February, 2005.

The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901 and has been given 85 times since then. Only 12 women have been recognised by the Nobel committee for their work to promote peace.

Millions of women work day in day out to promote peace. They care for survivors, help with reconstruction and initiate a new culture of peace. To represent these millions, it is aimed that in the year 2005 a thousand women shall collectively receive the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts in pursuit of peace. This political prize will show that the work they do is valuable and exemplary.

'The number 1,000 is symbolic. It says that peace is not the creation of individual leaders alone. The culture of peace needs millions and is a collective, ongoing effort,' says Kamla Bhasin, the South Asia coordinator for the project.

Dr. Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, Member of the Swiss Parliament (National Council) and of the Council of Europe, President of the Association 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005, writes about the genesis of the project, 'As a member of the Council of Europe, I have been visiting refugee camps in various crisis and war areas for many years now – in Azerbaijan, Armenia, in Bosnia and Kosova, in Serbia, Georgia and Chechnya …'

'Everywhere I meet women who perform reconstruction and peace work in extremely dangerous surroundings. They manage the difficult task of obtaining food and medicine for those in need. They look for missing persons and struggle to acquire better living conditions for refugees. They give schooling to orphans in order to distract them from their war experiences and ghastly memories and to bring structure and courage into these children's daily lives.'

'They unequivocally condemn torture, murder and abductions, and they document with clandestine photos the war parties' brutalities. They take to the streets and, against the will of the authorities, hold vigils of protest in public places. It is women who are victims of war. It is women who weep for the dead, they are the survivors who press for a return to peace. Courageous and resolute, and without regard for personal safety, they demand peace.'

Feminist researchers and practitioners have established that there is a continuum of violence that stretches from conflict to post conflict and indeed is an extension of the violence of women’s every day lives. It is rooted in the social, economic and political subordination of women.

There is an urgent need for acknowledging the centrality of women’s agency in peace building as an ongoing, everyday process and to have them participate actively at all levels in peace, conflict resolution,reconstruction initiatives.

'My contact with these women and the awareness that their work leaves scarcely a trace outside their sphere of activity preoccupied me incessantly. I realised that people from countries at peace must render visible the concrete work for peace done by women.' Dr.Ruth-Gaby said. Supporting the initiative, member of the National Council, Vreni Muller-Hemmi, says '1000 different strategies for peace will be made visible.'

Some of the nominees are Mahashweta Devi, Kiran Bedi, Sharda and Shanta (both social activists), Shahjahan and Ruth Manorama (women's rights activist), Dilafroz Qazi, Abha Bhaiya, Ajit Kaur (writer), Krishna Kumar, Kishwar Ahmed-Shirali, Maninder Meenu Sodhi, Veena Mazumdar, Shobha Barve, Shabnam Hashmi, Nandita Haksar, Sheila, Nirmala Deshpande, Anjali Gopalan, Aruna Roy, Capt. Lakshmi Sehgal, Teesta Setalvad, Vandana Shiva, Rashida Bi and Champa Devi Shukla.

The work of the 1000 nominated women will be published in the form of a book later this year.

For more information, visit http://www.1000peacewomen.org