CULTURE OF PEACE

Since its inception, IFUW has continued to uphold the principles of its founders who, at the end of the first world war, recognized the need for women to work toward maintaining world peace.

The role of education in promoting a culture of peace and harmony between peoples of the world is of paramount importance. Violence against women and children is prevalent world-wide, within the home, the community, between nations and within nations.

The basic principles of a culture of peace may be taught, both formally and informally, not only in schools and in the home, but throughout civil society. These basic principles include values which are universal:

• tolerance and understanding of cultures other than one's own
• respect for the rights of men, women and children
• protection of the weak and vulnerable in society
• recognition that by working together cooperatively, men, women,
  young adults and children can create a culture of peace.

Fostering a culture of peace is a most urgent task in today's world of violence and intolerance. The forces that threaten peace are:

• racism
• xenophobia
• religious intolerance
• economic disparities
• poverty
• drugs
• terrorism
• militarism
• arms dealing

In countries where people do not have the benefits of universal education and a free press, and where a sizeable section of the population is distracted by poverty and religious fundamentalism, the true effects of global pacts, arms trading, and military alliances is not understood.

Women have the power to provide a uniquely humanitarian role in fostering a culture of peace. This power can range over broad fields of endeavour within the community, nationally and internationally. This power also exists within the family where, ideally, peace and harmony can be taught by example. Women's equal participation in the peacemaking and peacebuilding process is a keystone toward the development of a peaceful society, free from aggression.

The collaborative efforts of women to globalize their peacebuilding agenda have borne fruit. The necessity for involving women in building peaceful societies and healing post-conflict wounds, is now increasingly recognized by all. IFUW members must address the problem of violence as the key problem of today.

Tolerance of the rich diverse cultures of the world is a pre-requisite to establishing peace at all levels of human society. Multiple diasporas are creating multiple identities and loyalties in the wake of the unprecedented migration of people in the globalized world.

IFUW national federations and associations can study and implement programmes that encourage the responsibilities of citizens for advancing peaceful solutions by:

• embracing and teaching an "inclusive consensus of citizenship" wherein everyone is part of the same civil society
• working to alleviate and combat racism and discrimination of all kinds
• developing curricula for educating children in peaceful strategies and conflict prevention skills
• urging elected officials and corporate entities to support peaceful policies
• monitoring and challenging the mass media about violent content
• teaching respect for democracy, for linguistic and ethnic tolerance, and encouraging and monitoring such rights and responsibilities

As members of IFUW, we can participate in peacebuilding by taking steps to:

• monitor the intersectionality of race, colour, gender and class discrimination
• identify women's role in fighting HIV/AIDS
• understand the real causes of terrorism and means of its prevention
• spread the awareness that the denial of women's human rights is a form of violence
• inculcate non-violent conflict resolution in the family from early childhood
• study non-violent means to attain political ends and justice for the oppressed
• empower women to enhance their knowledge of, and their access to information technology

	International Federation of University Women 10 rue du Lac, CH-1207 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: (41.22) 731 23 80 Fax: (41.22) 738 04 40   E-mail: info@ifuw.org