International Celebration

“On this International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, let’s resolve to uphold the rights and meet the needs of all survivors, as we work to prevent and end these horrific crimes”.
-António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General [1]

What is “Conflict-related Sexual Violence”?

This term refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage, and any other form of sexual violence which have the same effect on the victims, be they men, women, children, or adults. [2]

What is the impact of COVID-19 on survivors of sexual violence?

The impact of COVID-19 on survivors of conflict-related sexual violence has been poor, as the coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected the lives of victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. Although the crimes of conflict-related sexual violence are not reported in many places, the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the ability of survivors to report sexual violence and further exacerbated structural, institutional, social, and cultural barriers to reporting such crimes. [2]

Also read: International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

What are the resolutions and objectives of the United Nations General Assembly?

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution (A/RES/69/293) in June 2015, which proclaimed June 19 of each year as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
The resolution made it clear that the aim was to raise awareness of the need to end conflict-related sexual violence, honor victims of sexual violence around the world, and pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted or lost their lives towards achieving that purpose. [2]

The UN Secretary-General previously called for a cessation of violence both on battlefields and in homes. Yet his latest report shows that conflict-related sexual violence has continued unabated during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains a cruel and widespread tactic of war, torture, terror, and political repression, as the report recorded cases of sexual violence against women detained for alleged violations of curfews and quarantines, as well as violations by armed groups that have taken advantage of the pandemic to intensify their operations and achieve their ends. The pandemic has also laid bare the intersecting inequalities that plague our societies, as compounded by conflict, displacement, and institutional fragility. [3]

Solutions and Suggestions

The global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic should not aim at going back to the situation prevailing before the pandemic. Instead, it should seek to promote a new social contract that prevents those in power from obtaining privileges above the law, prevents the incapacity of a person who falls under the protection of the law, and the ultimate goal is to achieve equality and true justice.

This calls for decisive action to mitigate risks, prevent sexual violence, and ensure that no one is left behind in efforts to respond to these challenges. Responses must be comprehensive, multisectoral, age-appropriate, and survivor-centered. [2]
On this day, we call on all parties involved in armed conflicts to heed the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and an immediate end to all conflict-related sexual violence, as the goal of creating safer, fairer, more secure, and peaceful societies will require the international community to demonstrate vigilance and dedication. [3]

On the belief of this day and the necessity of eliminating sexual violence, we, in turn, advise all parties to raise awareness of this type of violence by participating in awareness seminars in order to build a more peaceful society.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

References:

[1] United Nations

[2] Middle East News Agency

[3] European Union

“Words kill as bullets… We all have to remember that hate crimes are preceded by hate speech.”
– Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide. [1]

Hate is the opposite of love, therefore represents the opposite of everything we seek to obtain as human beings, but it is an element that exists in this world, rather than an element that is widely spread, and it represents a release button to push people under its influence to commit crimes and massacres, and history is full of evidence and clues of its impact.

The Concept of Hate Speech

We have not yet reached a universal, legal definition of the term “Hate Speech”, however, the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech understand hate speech to include “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender or another identity factor.” [2]

We are all human beings, with different principles and habits, so what motive do we have to feel a prior hatred for someone, without having dealt with them beforehand? We just hate it because the inner voice stems from the thoughts embedded in our subconscious, those thoughts that we absorb from our surroundings, that is why we have to pay attention to these thoughts, find their source, and fix it because love is a much better feeling.

This does not contradict freedom of expression and opinion at all, it is only a tool that prevents this opinion from changing from personal freedom, into attacking a person or sect or a means of incitement and hostility against others.

Also read: World Day Against Child Labour.

The Historical Background Behind the International Day for Countering Hate Speech

In our current path towards a better world, and in response to the alarming trends prevalent in this era, from racism to xenophobia, anti-Muslim movements, and gender-based violence, the plans and achievements in these areas have varied, however, on June 18, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly launched “The United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech” as the first UN system-wide initiative designed to tackle hate speech. [3]

The United Nations General Assembly, unanimously by its 193 Member States, with the support of more than 75 countries, adopted a resolution submitted by Morocco on combating hate speech, which declares, for the first time in the records of the United Nations, June 18 of each year as the “International Day for Countering Hate Speech”. [4]
It will be celebrated for the first time in 2022 [3], as an opportunity for the peoples of the world to unite in the face of hate speech and stereotypes that spread the seeds of discord and hostility between peoples, for us to confront them and work together hand in hand towards building the safe world that we dream of.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Spread of Hate Speech

When the quarantine and curfew were imposed on the peoples of the world, the aim was to ensure the safety of all humans and protect them from the virus, for which a cure has not yet been discovered, and people resorted to the electronic world to facilitate their work, study, and enjoy their time, but a horrible phenomenon appeared on the horizon, which highlighted hatred buried in the souls of some people, and those voices that spread feelings of hatred, xenophobia and blaming others spread faster than wildfire.

The situation became more gruesome as the virus tightened its grip on us, voices began calling for foreigners to be deprived of health care, and that the elderly -the most affected by the virus- could be dispensed with.
As a result, the need for movements against these voices increased, and Antonio Guterres was one of the people who alerted the international world to the dangers of this phenomenon, saying: “We must act now to strengthen the immunity of our societies against the virus of hate.

That’s why I’m appealing today for an all-out effort to end hate speech globally. I call on educational institutions to focus on digital literacy at a time when billions of young people are online – and when extremists are seeking to prey on captive and potentially despairing audiences.” [5]

Hate Speech and Women

Over the years, women have been continuously exposed to hate speech, which affected their ability to express their opinion, and then their ability to hold their rights, even their ability to lead a free decent life.
These crimes get worse when people absolve the perpetrators so they appear as the hero of these stories. There are crimes of physical harassment and trafficking in women, and there are domestic violence and honor crimes, all of which carry with them a hatred directed against the woman who stands up to the aggressor, and the world stands in her face.

Campaigns and initiatives that try to do justice to these women have emerged, such as the 16 Days Campaign to Combat Gender-Based Violence, and the United Nations has presented many projects that help women obtain their rights in various fields. In this field, the electronic world was a double-edged sword, as calls for love and women’s rights increased, and at the same time, speeches that spread hate increased.
Electronic bullying appeared, which affected women’s self-confidence and set unrealistic standards of beauty. But there is still hope, as hatred appeared, love also did, those who stand in the face of such injustice, of men and women, and those who were fair to women have all shown up. Of course, we have not finished the work yet, but we are certainly on the right path.

We, at Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative, always strive to spread love and peace among all spectrums of people, and we call for justice for the weak in this society.
As part of this progressing technological era, we must spread peace and amity among the people of the world. We may not be able to end hatred, but this does not prevent us as responsible people from moving in that direction and doing our best to make the largest possible impact.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

References:

[1] United Nations- News

[2] United Nations- Human Rights

[3] United Nations- Hate Speech

[4] Maroc.ma

[5] United Nations- COVID 19 Response

Speaking of peace, we stand on the cusp of an urgent and missing need, for peace will not be merely the absence of war, but the dignity and well-being of all.

The Concept of Peace According to the United Nations

Peace, as noted by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, means: “Access to education, health, and essential services – especially for girls and women.
It means giving every young woman and man the chance to live as they choose. It also means developing sustainably and protecting the planet’s biodiversity”. [1]

The Importance of Peacekeeping

Peacekeeping operations began in 1948 with the establishment of the first UN Peacekeeping mission. [2] [3]
Over the years, UN Peacekeeping’s goals remain the same; primarily aimed at maintaining ceasefires, stabilizing the situation on the ground, and resolving conflicts by peaceful means through settlement and negotiation with efforts made at the political level.
Upon the intensification of conflicts and the escalation and depth of disputes and clashes, we see the need for UN Peacekeeping operations and personnel, as effective means of dealing with many interstate conflicts.

Also read: The international day of cultural diversity.

What does UN Peacekeepers Do?

One may ask, what is it that entitles Peacekeepers to achieve security? Peacekeepers provide peaceful resolutions to conflicts, human rights monitoring, empowering women, deliver field support, reform the security sector, disarmament, demining, protect civilians, and more. [4]
In its ongoing pursuit of women’s empowerment, the United Nations, following the resolutions issued by its Security Council, encouraged and called for the necessity of women’s participation in peacekeeping operations and the equality of their roles with those of the male workers. [2]

As a result, women’s involvement in Peacekeeping operations achieves greater access to civilians, especially women and children, which helps collect accurate and statistical data, participation in decision-making and planning improves the quality of work, building trust and confidence among those targeted by Peacekeeping operations, especially civilians and victims, and lastly, creating an emblematic blend of women who represent power and compassion at the same time.

The Role of Syrian women in Peacekeeping

As for Syrian women and their role in Peacekeeping in general, they are inspiring examples of resilience and determination, playing crucial roles in humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution.
However, framing their work and effort at community levels has not easily translated into a voice at the international level, or among key parties to the conflict.

For sustainable peace in Syria, women’s leadership, engagement, and full participation in peace talks and peace-building efforts must be ensured by international actors and development partners. [2]
On the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, 29 May, the Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative, in a continuing effort, aims at uplifting  Syrian women and helping those interested in engaging in peacebuilding in Syria, through education, empowerment, awareness-raising, and equal opportunities.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

“Cultural Diversity gives our life its richness.”
-Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.

In 2001, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration of Cultural Diversity. The year after, the UN General Assembly declared May 21 as World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

The Importance of World Day for Cultural Diversity

The importance of this day is reflected in being an opportunity to celebrate culture’s manifold forms. And highlight being a driving force for development. In addition to an asset that is indispensable for poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development. Moreover, the World Day for Cultural Diversity contributes to dialogue and mutual understanding. Also to the social, environmental, and economic vectors of sustainable development. [1]

The Contribution of Cultural Diversity Cultures Openness

It is often believed that cultural diversity can pose a threat to society. But in fact, cultural diversity allows individuals to open up to cultures different from their own. This, in turn, enables them to acquire the knowledge they are unfamiliar with. Also learn about various civilizations on our planet. Therefore, their minds become enlightened with new prospects for thinking and addressing problems. 

The Contribution of Cultural Diversity to Promoting Peaceful Coexistence 

This is what makes it imperative for individuals to accept and respect cultural diversity. As a means to enrich the learning experience with our different experiences. While most conflicts come from our ignorance of others and their perceptions. The great benefit comes from learning about the experiences of others and increasing the ideas for advancing ourselves and our societies. On the other hand, our awareness of the importance of accepting and respecting cultural diversity contributes to promoting peaceful coexistence away from conflict.

Also read: International Day of Living Together in Peace

Some Challenges

Despite the importance and necessity of cultural diversity. The fact that it faces some challenges cannot be ignored. Of which: [2]

• Conflicts may arise as a result of differing views and opinions. Especially on sensitive matters, such as the beliefs inherent in all individuals.
• Exaggerated interest in a particular group of individuals over others within the same country or institution.
• Despite the numerous attempts within some institutions to set foundations and standards that suit all working individuals. Managers continue to face difficulties in finding standards that fit the different cultures present in one work environment.
• We won’t forget the most important element of any culture in any part of the world, that is the language, which, at the same time, forms a barrier to communication among different cultures.

Finally, this day represents a true celebration of our initiative based on its embrace of different women and men in their diversity of cultures and environments, and giving them a safe and appropriate space to show their differences to spread the culture of dialogue and promote the learning process.

“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt. [1]

Concept of Peace According to the United Nations

Peace can be defined as the absence of wars, sectarian, ethnic, and religious problems and conflicts and hate speech, and equal rights for all members of society, which creates an atmosphere of safety and stability and helps development and renaissance.
Living together in peace is “accepting differences and having the ability to listen to, recognize, respect and appreciate others, as well as living in a peaceful and united way”.
This includes the acceptance of all religions and races, the equal rights and duties for all individuals, one’s entitlement to a good job and a decent life, and the equality of all before the law.

Given the importance of this matter, the United Nations General Assembly declared May 16 the International Day of Living Together in Peace, to make it clear that this day requires the efforts of most countries around the world to promote tolerance, solidarity, peace, and harmony.
This day invites countries to further promote cooperation and reconciliation, through working with all parties; including local communities, faith leaders, and other relevant actors in order to find effective measures that will enable us one day, despite all differences, to achieve a world of peace and solidarity. [2]

Also read: International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.

Challenges to Living in Peace

The widespread hate speech at the present time is one of the most common causes of problems and crises, due to the spread of feelings which may not immediately incite violence, but sow the seeds of intolerance and anger that encourage discrimination and hostility based on race, religion or gender, and gives legitimacy to acts of violence.

In addition, the existence of stereotypes and prejudices against the rest of the people is one of the matters that may increase problems, so there must be wise management of ethnic and religious diversity, by helping everyone perform their rituals and customs in comfort and safety, and in the presence of a law that protects everyone and equals them regardless of their different ethnic or religious affiliations. [3]

Importance of this Day to the World

Living in peace and security is of great significance at the level of the individual and society, as peace does not only mean the absence of conflicts and wars but also requires a set of attitudes and values that are based on full respect for sovereignty, human rights, accepting the opinion of the other and coexistence among different cultures and civilizations. It is no secret that all peoples of the world are waiting for peace, that achieves their dreams and aspirations and secures for everyone a decent life away from intolerance, discrimination, and violence.

Having peace around the world accomplishes a lot of things; as it helps the peoples of the world to learn, acquire and disseminate culture, and build civilizations, in addition, the conducive environment achieved promotes creativity and production, reflecting positively on life of the individual and society.
In the end, needless to say, peace lifts humanity towards the level of civilized social existence, while wars lead it to barbarism. [4]

Role of the Arab Peoples in Achieving World Peace

On the Arab Countries’ level, perhaps what most hinders the implementation of the living together in peace principle are issues like bullying and gender inequality, as bullying is an undesirable aggressive phenomenon that involves violence and aggressive behavior done by an individual or group of individuals against others, and it may take several forms, physical, verbal, social, psychological and electronic.
Children are often the victims of this harmful behavior, which results in a generation that lacks self-confidence and concentration, negatively affecting the academic achievement of these children in the future, and leading to a generation that knows no language other than violence. [5]

As for gender equality, according to the Gender Development Index (GDI), the Arab States region has the second widest gender gap in the world after South Asia, and at the current rate, this gap is estimated to take another 153 years to close. 
As a direct result of gender inequalities, women and girls achieved 14.4% less in human development than men over the past 20 years.
As for work, the Arab region has the world’s lowest rate of female economic participation (26% compared to the global average of 56%). By contrast, the male labor force participation rate, at 76%, is above the global average of 74%. These numbers have remained stubbornly resistant to change despite increasing levels of education amongst women. In addition to the limited participation of women in managerial positions, which often reflects negatively on the decisions taken.

From the above, we conclude that the Arab region, in general, requires a lot of work to implement the principle of living together in peace, in view of their issues, which impedes the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the principle of living together in peace continues to elude the Arab countries. [6]
Upon the values and principles of our initiative, we believe that living together in peace is only possible when equality between men and women is achieved at all levels, as peace is closely linked to women’s access to their rights. In addition to the message that the initiative seeks to spread, which is the right of all people, regardless of their races or religions, to live in good and healthy conditions that secure a decent life for them.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

“Freedom of the Press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose.”
– George Orwell. [1]

The third of May is an annual opportunity to praise the fundamental principles of press freedom, monitor the state of press freedom around the world, defend and protect the media from what threatens its independence, not to mention honor journalists who lost their lives in the field.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted World Press Freedom Day in 1993, based on a recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of the UNESCO General Conference in 1991. 
It should be noted that this decision came in response to a call from African journalists who issued the Historic Windhoek Declaration on Pluralism and Independence of the Media in 1991.[2]

The Concept of Press Freedom

Freedom of the press and the media means the right to obtain, transfer, and exchange information from any source, the right to disseminate and share ideas and opinions without restrictions, the right to publish newspapers, and not to impose prior censorship on what the media presents except in the narrowest limits and in relation to national security, upon delimited scope, military matters and the inviolability of public morals. [3]

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” [4]
We, therefore, conclude that press freedom is a human right being a way of expressing an opinion. 

Guarantees and Principles of Press Freedom

• Principles of Press Freedom

Professional secrecy: It is one of the most important principles that a journalist must hold, especially with regard to sensitive media topics or facts, and these secrets must be credible, meaning that they contain truthful information without exaggeration.
It is also necessary to emphasize the importance of subjecting professional secrecy to a set of judicial laws, which must not be infringed, especially regarding the following field and topics: adolescents and child information, information affecting international security, and sectors related to the international and strategic economy. 
Press independence in performing media work: Press independence is a necessity in journalistic work, requiring the journalist and the communicator to adhere to objectivity and honesty in dealing with content or media information. A journalist must also be independent in performing their work without any interference from any party, whether political, economic, or media, as media errors are considered among the most serious mistakes made by media professionals, which may endanger and threaten their lives by certain parties or by the state. [5]

• Guarantees of Press Freedom

Press freedom can be guaranteed by guaranteeing the rights of the journalists and media workers in the field of communication upon several aspects, including economic, related to ensuring a decent living and regulating their financial rights, and secondly, the security to prevent injustice by the security services and protect them from being subjected to physical abuse such as imprisonment, arrest, torture ..etc, as well as protecting them from the employer (in the case of private newspapers) and from editor-in-chief or their immediate superiors. 
Thirdly, there are guarantees related to the practice of the profession and duty: such as providing the possibilities for the journalist and media person to access information and view official and unofficial documents without pretexting to prevent him from doing so and giving them the appropriate immunity to protect against all internal and external pressures to force them to do an incorrect or distorted work, in addition to protecting them from risks or damages they may be exposed to while doing their job in line with the special nature of the profession of media workers, journalists, delegates and reporters, and providing them with the best conditions for practicing their sacred profession.[6]

The Importance of Press Freedom

A free press helps maintain the balance of power within the government, as one of the important functions of journalism in the media is to help citizens understand often complex government processes, and to educate people about how decisions made at higher levels affect them. [7]
Thus, when journalists are threatened, assaulted, censored, or imprisoned, it is a direct attack on freedom of expression in society. [8]

Restrictions On Press Freedom

Under-Secretary-General for International Media Alison Smale, addressing a forum in New York in 2018 on the occasion of World Press Day, pointed out the challenges and constraints facing journalism: 
“Journalism today faces a multitude of threats, including censorship, intimidation, and direct physical attacks against journalists and media workers. Increasingly, the press is being discredited with accusations of engaging in fake news. While each of these interconnected threats needs to be addressed, ensuring the safety of journalists and all media practitioners is essential. As the horrific and deadly attacks in Afghanistan just a few days ago show, their lives are often at risk for carrying out their duty to inform everybody else. I would also like to point out that women journalists face a double risk because of their gender and journalistic work. Journalists and workers in local media who assist foreign correspondents and translators also face significant risks because once they leave, they are threatened and ill-treated”. [9]
According to the World Press Freedom Index in 2021, Norway, Finland, and Sweden rank in the top three in the world, while Syria ranks 173rd in the world out of 180 countries. [10]

Since our initiative seeks to achieve equality among members of society and build sustainable peace, World Press Freedom Day marks an important date, emphasizing the concept of freedom of expression, which is the primary tool for achieving both the goals of the initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.