The War Abused Me: Campaign sheds light on armed conflict's psychological, physical impact on women

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11 Dec 2014

The War Abused Me: Campaign sheds light on armed conflict's psychological, physical impact on women

11 December 2014 - Within the context of the 16-Day Campaign for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which began on 25 November (The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) - and through the Women's Empowerment Section and in cooperation and coordination with Women of Change Organization along with a psycho-social support team, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) initiated a campaign under the slogan “The War Abused Me”.

During the campaign, meetings were held with displaced women in order to shed a light on the psychological and physical impacts of armed conflict on women, and the importance of having institutions and mechanisms in place for the protection of women during armed conflicts. The campaign also targeted young men and women in universities with the aim to provide psychological support. In addition, programs were broadcasted on radio and television to shed a light on the issue of armed conflict. The participants stressed the importance of dialogue as a strategic option for the Libyan people. Twenty women and men volunteered for this campaign delivering lectures within the framework of the campaign slogan. Participants expressed that this campaign has helped building coalitions aiming at launching the Women and Peace Initiative.

Partner national institutions intend to present key outcomes of this campaign during the closing day on December 11. They will also seek the views of women on the outcomes of the Cairo workshop with respect to the demands of women in the constitution. It is worth mentioning that the workshop on the Women’s Demands for the Constitution, which was held in Cairo during the period 1-4 November, was coordinated by UNSMIL in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Women.