MP Champions Women Living in Conflict

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Local MP Mary Macleod speaks up for women living in conflict at the launch of a new campaign: No Women No Peace

On Monday 11th October Mary Macleod MP, Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth, showed her support for No Women No Peace – a new campaign for women living in conflict.

No Women No Peace is a new campaign by Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS UK), a network of 14 human rights and development organisations.

All over the world women are prime targets during conflict. Rape, displacement, torture and kidnap are common experiences of women. Yet when it comes to negotiating and building peace, women are often excluded.

The No Women No Peace campaign, launched to mark the 10 year anniversary of an important UN resolution, highlights the fact that without women’s involvement peace will fail to meet the needs of 50 per cent of the population.

The campaign launch in the House of Commons included a speech from the Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon William Hague MP, and women’s rights activist Wazhma Frogh.

Mary Macleod MP said, “I am proud and delighted to be able to lend my support to such a worthwhile cause. With women constituting half the world’s population, it seems abundantly clear that they must be involved in peace making on both a local and global scale. I wish the campaign every success.”

Laura Hotchkiss, GAPS Director on behalf of the No Women No Peace campaign, said, “We are really pleased that so many people came to demonstrate their support for women in conflict. We hope the UK Government heeds their call and realises that you can’t build peace leaving half the people out.”

To get involved with No Women No Peace, visit www.nowomennopeace.org or call 020 7922 7776.

 

October 15, 2010