On the suggestion of fellow activists, I am working on a book about Women in Black against War...
MAIN THEME AND OBJECTIVES OF THE BOOK:
Women in Black against War is an international network of women that came into existence in 1988 and still today actively mounts street actions across five continents for peace and justice, against violence, militarism and war. WiB’s characteristic action is the street-side vigil, positioned at a busy location and repeated at regular intervals. Vigillers wear black, maintain silence and display boldly worded political messages.
I have been invited by members of the network to write a history of Women in Black and describe the present reality. The objective of such a book is to further our cause – in brief, to eliminate violence against women and to end militarism and war. We believe that the book will help to make Women in Black better known, disseminate its message and attract more adherents. Another objective is to re-state and advance feminist understandings of gender in relation to violence and war.
WHY I FEEL IT IS NEEDED, WHY IT IS IMPORTANT:
WiB is already thirty years old. People pass away and memories fade. It is important to gather and present the historical material before it is too late.
Outbreaks of armed conflict are still frequent worldwide, between states, and between governments and their opponents. Recently, besides, the threat of armed violence within countries between groups of opposed ideologies, identities and cultures is increasing.
Global military spending (currently just short of two thousand trillion dollars a year) is steadily growing. Massive national military budgets squander resources that could and should be spent on people’s health and wellbeing. It is urgent to give information about ways of protesting against this and drawing more citizens into activism.
Rape, femicide and the social exploitation of women are endemic. Feminist activism to end gendered oppression and violence is urgent, and will be strengthened by fostering a greater understanding of the masculinist and patriarchal nature of militarism and war, and making better known the scope and extent of current movements for change.
It is urgent that men adopt, and women as mothers and partners support, forms of masculinity that are not shaped by violence and militarism.
