Tunis - Twenty Libyan women activists from different regions and groups met in Tunisia on 08-10 October 2015 to discuss issues pertaining to peace and security in Libya.

Participants expressed their deep concern about the situation of displaced women, children and the society as a whole. Security for them, is about their freedom of movement without fear of being shot at or abducted, their ability to safely take their children to and from school, shop for food and access social services. These basic rights are a luxury now for Libyan women due to the continuing armed conflict, they said, expressing the need for a strong government to support them.

The women emphasized their important role to promote peace and reconciliation to overcome the social and political fragmentation and developed a plan of action to implement at the community level. At the end of the meetings, they expressed their commitment to the dialogue as the only solution to Libya’s crisis and urged all parties to recognize women as a key partner in the transitional process and not to exclude or undermine their role as agents of change and peacemakers.

Participants were briefed about the knowledge on actions that follow peace agreements and the role of women based on good practices presented from the experience of other countries.
The meeting was organized by the Women Empowerment Section of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), with generous funding provided by the Swiss Government.