07 November 2015, Montreux, Geneva - Forty Libyan women from diverse backgrounds from inside and outside Libya are currently gathering in Montreux to reflect on their aspirations for peace and their role and contribution to building a new Libya.

“Libya for me is the face of my father whom I have not seen for the past two years,” said one participant. For other Libyan women participants, Libya means their identity, their home, their mother, and the place where they feel safe. It is their homeland.

The conference provides a safe space for Libyan women who agreed to come together at a very difficult time in Libya in order to discuss their vital role in peace-building in a transparent way. They aim to promote peace and prepare their plan of action by articulating the steps they consider vital to bring peace to their country. On the first day, they confirmed that despite their different backgrounds and positions they are committed to working together as Libyan women to contribute to peace attainment in Libya. As one participant stated, they are tired of having two governments.

The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), UN Women Regional Office of Arab States and the Women’s Empowerment Section at the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) are facilitating the conference. In the opening statement of the conference, Ambassador Heidi Grau, Head of the Human Security Division of the FDFA, stressed: “The conference is an expression of our recognition of the tireless efforts by Libyan Women and a platform to join efforts and actions in favor of peace”, as unity, regardless of differences, is a powerful force for peace.

During the first day of the conference, Libyan women discussed ideas they put forward and declared the main objective of their action plan, as they stated: “Strengthen the role of Libyan women in peace-building and social peace”. In the opening statement of UNSMIL, Ms. Magda Elsanousi, the head of the Women’s Empowerment Section, said: “Today, Libya is building on the momentum of changes, and women should capture these momentums to develop strong and united foundation to become ‘peace makers’. They advocate for peace that is more than an absence of war. They advocate for a transformation of their country into a democracy based on social justice and equality”.

Addressing the Libyan women during the opening session, Mr. Mohammad Naciri, UN Women’s Regional Director for Arab States, said: “Your strength in the face of the difficult conditions experienced by the women of Libya in light of the conflict and the depth of the crisis is an assertion that women’s participation in determining their future is a non-negotiable right. He added: “It is an inspiration for all of us, to exert more efforts to support Arab women in communities that suffer similar conditions”.

Libyan women participants continue to work hard in preparing for their action plan for peace to present it to the international community on 10 November at the Palais des Nations. A press conference for Libyan women will follow.