Annual Report12

Advocating for peace, justice & equality ii Nobel Women’s Initiative Supporting our work for peace

The Nobel Women’s Initiative would like to thank the following organizations and individuals whose generous support allowed us to serve as a voice for women, peace and security around the world in 2012:

Cynda Collins Arsenault Sarah Cavanaugh Lauren Embrey Sara Vetter Kay Wilemon Nancy and Emily Word Trea Yip

FLOW: Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs MDG3 Fund of the Netherlands Ministry of Development Cooperation Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kalliopeia Foundation Cornell Douglas Foundation UN Women, Latin American and Caribbean Section

All of the Nobel Peace Laureates of the Nobel Women’s Initiative in 2012: Shirin Ebadi Mairead Maguire Rigoberta Menchú Tum Leymah Gbowee Tawakkol Karman Jody Williams

And many more generous individuals. I think the most powerful thing is women saying over and over and in different places that women have to stand up and take the lead in making the “world a better place for everyone. ”- Jody Williams

2012 ANNUAL REPORT 1 Message from the Nobel Women

…humanity is fast evolving to this higher consciousness… We can rejoice and celebrate today because we are living in a miraculous time. Everything “is changing and everything is possible. Mairead Maguire ” Amidst the turmoil of the past year, hope sprang forth as women around the world took the lead in nonviolent movements for change. From the democratic uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, to the quest for justice for survivors of sexual violence in Central America, and the protests against the oil sands pipeline in North America, women have emerged front and centre, as peacebuilders and commu- nity leaders, to put an end to gender violence, promote just societies, and build healthy, sustainable environments.

As women recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, we use the access and influence that comes with winning a Nobel prize to raise the profiles and advance the causes of these international women human rights defenders. Under the Nobel Women’s Initiative, we come together to accompany the courageous women in their tireless, grassroots efforts for peace, justice and equality and to bring their calls not only to a larger public but also to decision makers around the world.

The women we met in the past year are eager to have their voices heard and feel a clear sense of strength in numbers, learning from and building upon a diversity of strategies from other women.

We need you to carry our voices to other places, to other countries so that “someone hears us who can support us. Crisanta Pérez, a Guatemalan” anti-mining activist 2 Nobel Women’s Initiative During our delegation to Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, we heard of alarmingly high levels of violence from women survivors who felt empowered after speaking out in an all-woman’s forum, sharing their common stories, and brainstorming strategies to change their reality.

Sexual violence is a particularly powerful tool used in conflict situations to dominate, humiliate and destroy women and communities. Through the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence, we are working to prevent, provide protection from and prosecute perpetrators of sexual violence, through a call to increased awareness, public condemnation, and better implementation of laws that bring justice and reparation for survivors.

In keeping with our late sister Laureate Wangari Maathai’s vision for environmental peace and justice, we also met with women living along the oil pipeline route in Northern Alberta and British Columbia. We listened to firsthand testimony about the impact of oil sands develop- ment, learned about the groundbreaking work women are doing to protect their land and environment, and amplified their calls for clean, renewable energy.

This past year, we were thrilled to welcome two additions to the Nobel Women’s Initiative, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni activist and journalist Tawakkol Karman, both of whom organized and used the power of nonviolence to bring about change in their communi- ties. We were also delighted to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, who was finally able to travel freely outside of Burma, to accept the Nobel prize she won 21 years ago.

Fiercely passionate, women around the world are taking the lead to make the seemingly impossible, possible. May they continue to inspire us all to collective action. For united, we will garner the attention and political will needed to realize our shared vision of peace, justice and equality. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 3

Message from the Executive Director Advocating for peace, justice and equality The Nobel women’s continued solidarity is critically important for those affected by crisis levels of violence, particularly women’s human rights defenders.

It is important and vital that women are given an active role. “Women must not be ignored by any government. Shirin Ebadi ” From the armed-conflict regions in Africa, to the militarized zones in Central America, and along the pipeline in North America, we are proud to accompany our sisters and to help ensure they are heard around the world.

Together, we are bringing attention to the “war on women” in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. We are amplifying the voices of Indigneous women in North America on the impacts of oil and climate change on their communities. We are nurturing future generations of women leaders through our Sister-to-Sister Mentorship program, building on their already extraordinary work as young activists by providing training, in areas such as international advocacy and organizing, media and online outreach, engaging policy makers and fundraising. In the months following their time in Ottawa, we work together to engage in advocacy and media on issues important to them.

Together, we are supporting the first woman to be named Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, who is determined to focus not only on the prosecution of perpetrators but also the architects and systems that enable sexual violence. 4 Nobel Women’s Initiative Together, we are demanding bold and urgent political leadership to end violence against women and the culture of impunity that perpetuates it. Our International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict unites us into a powerful, global, coordinated effort for change.

Since the Campaign was launched in May, in seven different languages, thousands of organizations and individuals have pledged their support to this global and unified collaboration, placing rape and gender violence at the forefront of the global agenda. British Foreign Secretary William Hague offered £1 million (US$1.6 million) and an emergency taskforce to address the issue, and Canada pledged to take a leader- ship role in preventing and punishing sexual violence in conflict. Delegations of Campaign members travelled to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala to hear testimony from hundreds of survivors of rape and gender violence and share it with national and international policy makers. Campaign events in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Burma, Kenya, and elsewhere raised the profile of sexual violence and the power of grassroots organizations to effect change.

The progress we have made this year is exciting. And this is only the beginning.

Together, we can keep each other safer, and build lives and societies free from violence.

Liz Bernstein 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 5 Who we are We are a group of Nobel Peace Laureates who came together in 2006 to support women activists and to work together for peace, justice & equality.

We recognize that by virtue of [receiving] the Nobel Prize, we have influence and access that others don’t. And if we put all of that behind the work of other women, “where it makes a difference, we can help them advance their work. Jody Williams ” Our Vision women’s equality and The Nobel Women’s Initiative uses those on the frontlines of civil the prestige of the Nobel Peace society—including those Prize and courageous women addressing climate change. Peace Laureates to increase the power and visibility of women’s We use three main strategies in groups working globally for peace, our advocacy: justice and equality. Convening: We bring together key decision How We Work makers with women’s rights Our advocacy is organized around activists. We promote collabora- three main pillars: tion between diverse women’s groups, academics, policy Women forging peace makers and the media. We The inclusion of women in empower women leaders, and peace making and support for expand global movements for nonviolence and other alterna- , and . tives to war and militarism. peace justice equality  Women achieving justice Shaping the conversation: Accountability for crimes We articulate a broadly committed against women and accessible analysis of the an end to widespread impunity. impact of conflict, violence and inequity on women. We empha- Women advancing equality size solutions proposed by and human rights women’s movements. We share Support for human rights a vision of a nonviolent, just and defenders, those working for equal world. 6 Nobel Women’s Initiative Spotlighting and promoting: political change, developing We create media and public comprehensive advocacy awareness of the powerful work strategies, messaging and writing being done by women’s materials for different audiences, activists and movements—and relationship building, event help bring women’s messages planning, and basic proposal to the world. writing and finance skills, as well as engaging policymakers. The Mentoring a New Generation program also provides training in Sister-to-Sister Mentorship Program traditional and new media engagement, as well as imple- The Nobel Women’s Initiative mentation of outreach strategies launched the exciting new with discussions on possible Sister-to-Sister Mentorship country-specific limitations. Program this year. The mentor- ship program was designed to Three young women’s rights support young women’s rights activists between the ages of activists in their international 20-30 participated in this year’s advocacy and media work. The six-month program: Mexico’s women spent six weeks in Maria Luisa Aguilar Rodriguez, residency in our Ottawa office Palestine’s Aghssan Barghouthi, and received continued follow-up and Sudan’s Walaa Salah and support for four months after. Mohamed Abdelrhman. Nomi- The program aims to strengthen nated for their tireless efforts at key skills including organizing for the grassroots level for women’s

Meet the Laureates “Using our influence for change” Mairead Jody Rigoberta Maguire Williams Menchú (1976) (1997) Tum for her for her (1992) work to help end work to ban land- for her promotion of the conflict in mines through Indigenous peoples’ Northern Ireland the International rights in Guatemala Campaign to Ban Landmines 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 7 rights, peace and justice, they Internship Opportunities worked closely with our team in The Nobel Women’s Initiative Ottawa to build on their existing creates remarkable internship advocacy and communication opportunities for young women skills, developing joint advocacy in university or who have recently projects, and sharing their work completed their university with an international audience. In studies. This past year, addition, they traveled with the eight interns gave us a new organization to New York to generation’s perspective on participate in advocacy around women’s rights and advocacy the UN General Assembly, and and we, in turn, provided them participated in a cross-Canada with practical work experience speaking tour hosted by MATCH and skills, and an opportunity to International where they make a difference in our complex, exchanged ideas with other globalized world. young activists across the country. They blogged about their residency and about women’s Committed Staff rights in their respective countries Based in Ottawa, the Nobel on the Nobel Women web site. Women’s Initiative has a small but dedicated team of women with broad international experience in women’s rights and advocacy who carry out an ambitious work plan in support of the Nobel women’s vision.

Shirin Leymah Tawakkol Ebadi Gbowee Karman (2003) (2011) (2011) for her for her for her efforts to promote work in leading a non-violent struggle human rights, in women’s peace to promote women’s particular, the rights of movement that safety and women’s women, children, brought an end to the participation in peace- and political prisoners Second Liberian Civil building in Yemen in Iran War in 2003 8 Nobel Women’s Initiative Highlights of the Year Women forging peace We advocate building long-term peace, supporting women who are engaged in nonviolence and other alternatives to ending war and militarism, and support the inclusion of women in peace negotiations and other peace-building efforts.

Ending rape and gender violence violence in conflict through a in conflict powerful and unprecedented Every day thousands of women, global collaboration uniting Nobel men, and children around the Peace Laureates, international world experience sexual violence advocacy organizations, and in armed conflicts around the groups working at the regional world. From Congo and Kenya and community levels in conflict to Burma and Colombia, rape is areas. This coordinated campaign used as a weapon to humiliate seeks to amplify the voices of people and tear apart communi- survivors, prevent rape and ties. It is often perpetrated with gender violence in conflict, direct consent or under the orders protect civilians and rape survi- of military commanders and vors, and effectively prosecute government officials. those responsible.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative A year after the Nobel Women’s deepened its work to end sexual Conference in Montebello,

2012 at a Glance 21-31 January 24 January 14 February Nobel Peace Laureates Thousands of Shirin Ebadi and fellow Jody Williams and Hondurans protested a Laureates called for the Rigoberta Menchú Tum damaging new mining release of political led a fact-finding law that would further opposition leaders, mission to Mexico, increase human rights under house arrest Honduras, and abuses in Honduras. since 14 February 2011 Guatemala on violence without trial or against women. possibility of defense. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 9 Survivors of sexual violence are brutalized twice – first by the perpetrators of the crimes against them, and the second time by governments that fail to “ apply the rule of law and ensure justice for survivors. Jody Williams ” Quebec, Women Forging a During a week of action, the New Security: Ending Sexual Campaign was launched with Violence in Conflict Conference, events in Colombia, Congo and the International Campaign to Kenya, where several survivors Stop Rape & Gender Violence in publicly presented their personal Conflict was officially launched in experiences of sexual violence, May 2012 with events held online generating local and international and around the world. media coverage of their stories. A march involving hundreds of A Campaign Call and website people in the streets took place, was launched in seven languages and the Nairobi Police Comissioner (English, French, Portuguese, took the official pledge to work to Spanish, Congolese Swahili, stop rape in conflict. Campaign Kenyan Swahili, and Arabic) and events in Brazil, Spain and Japan an information card with also resulted in numerous print and “10 Actions You Can Take To radio stories after well-attended Stop Rape and Gender Violence events where Jody Williams spoke in Conflict” was distributed about the importance of uniting to around the world at our events. pressure local governments and Visit stoprapeinconflict.org. the international community to end rape and gender violence in war.

23 February 11 March 18-21 March Nobel Laureates On the anniversary of Laureate Mairead urged EU member the Fukushima nuclear Maguire and Liz Bern- states to support a power plant disaster, the stein spoke at the directive (the EU Fuel Laureates urged world two-day Partnership for Quality Directive) that leaders to switch to Change Conference on classifies tar sands oil low-carbon, nuclear-free Dignity and Empower- as highly polluting. energy sources. ment in Oslo, Norway. 10 Nobel Women’s Initiative calling on Canada to become a leader in ending sexual violence in conflict. As a result of this event and accompanying social media campaign, a motion was passed by Canada’s House of Commons calling on the govern- ment to play a leadership role to end sexual violence and make perpetrators accountable. The motion also calls on Canada In other parts of the world, to support survivors of sexual people participated virtually, violence through development uploading public pledges of what assistance and diplomatic effort. they will do in their own commu- One of the Campaign’s early nity to help stop rape in conflict successes is the way it has through Twitter, Flickr, and become quickly recognized as Facebook, and sharing them a voice for civil society by the among their networks. international community and The Nobel Women’s Initiative governments. In New York in launched the Campaign in September, Nobel Laureates Canada in June, hosting a Jody Williams, Leymah Gbowee, parliamentary breakfast for and Shirin Ebadi, and members Members of Parliament and of the Campaign Advisory Committee were invited to 2012 at a Glance 4 April 8 April 18 April Aung San Suu Kyi won Yee Htun published an Nobel Peace Laureates her seat in Burma’s oped in the Ottawa Citizen Leymah Gbowee of parliament with 82% of revealing that although Liberia and Tawakkol the vote. All 13 NLD Burma’s military espouses Karman of Yemen women won their seats. peace and democratic officially joined the Nobel reform internationally, Women’s Initiative. itcontinues its military offensive against ethnic minorities of Burma and still uses rape to disempower women and their communities. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 11 …civilization…is moving backwards, as we see new barbaric acts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria, and a deafening silence of the international community. We do not need any more proof, we need “ urgent action. Dr. Denis Mukwege,” Congolese Surgeon participate at events around the Zainab Bangura also expressed 67th UN General Assembly. her strong commitment to Laureates and Campaign addressing this issue. members participated in a panel The event helped raise the visibility on the global crisis of sexual of the issue of rape and gender violence with international leaders, violence in conflict in the UN, and organized in collaboration with demonstrated that the UN does UN Women and the UK as a side see the International Campaign to event to the General Assembly. Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Country representatives, foreign Conflict as a partner in addressing ministers, and prominent activists sexual violence. attended. Following the event, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, William Since its launch, the Campaign Hague, unveiled a £1 million has garnered support from over pledge to help stop rape and 700 organizations and thousands gender violence in conflict. The of individuals including Eve Ensler newly appointed Special Repre- of V-Day, Archbishop Desmond sentative of the Secretary General Tutu, Gloria Steinem, and Charlize on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Theron) in 133 different countries

19-22 April 23-25 April 6-13 May The Nobel Women’s Shirin Ebadi and The International Initiative joined more Jody Williams joined Campaign to Stop than 2,000 women’s other Nobel Peace Rape & Gender Violence rights activists from Laureates at the 12th in Conflict launched with around the world in World Summit of Nobel an international Week of Istanbul, Turkey for Peace Laureates in Action and events in the 12th Association Chicago to bring Colombia, Sudan, DRC, for Women’s Rights messages of peace, Kenya and more. in Development justice, human rights and Worldwide, people (AWID) Forum. individual responsibility to pledged to stop rape in world leaders and youth. conflict using Twitter, Flickr, and Facebook. 12 Nobel Women’s Initiative around the world. Many of 40,000 women survivors of these members have also made rape and gender violence a personal pledge to act to and performed more than stop rape and gender violence 15,000 operations on women in conflict. whose genitals and organs have been destroyed by violence from Condemning the attack on Dr. Mukwege Congo’s ongoing conflict to and his colleagues in Congo control mineral wealth. An In another example of the way outspoken activist, Dr. Mukwege the Campaign has been able to has called for an end to the mobilize quickly and respond to violence and for justice to be crisis, the International Campaign brought to the women of to Stop Rape & Gender Violence Eastern Congo. in Conflict launched an urgent action condemning the violent Calling on China to open meaningful attack and assassination attempt dialogue with Tibetan leaders on the life of Dr. Denis Mukwege In response to the spate of and the murder of his friend and self-immolations in Tibet (more security guard. The Campaign than 100 people have set called for the prosecution of themselves on fire since 2011 in those responsible as well as for protest against the repressive the protection of Dr. Mukwege Chinese occupation of Tibet), and his family. Dr. Mukwege 12 Nobel Peace Laureates— and his colleagues at the Panzi including Archbishop Desmond Hospital have treated over Tutu, Jody Williams, Lech Walesa,

2012 at a Glance 5 June 14 June 15 June The Initiative and JASS The Nobel Women’s Gambian Fatou released From initiative hosted a Bensouda was sworn Survivors to Defenders: breakfast in Ottawa for in as the first African Women Confronting politicians on Parlia- and woman Chief Violence in Mexico, ment Hill to encourage Prosecutor of the ICC. Honduras & Guatemala, Canada to become a about their delegation leader in ending rape to Central America to in conflict. investigate the impact on women of mining operations and the war on drugs. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 13 Leymah Gbowee and Shirin Global March to Jerusalem to Ebadi—sent a letter to Chinese show solidarity with Palestinians President Hu Jintao urging him to and the protection of Jerusalem, “respect the dignity of the Tibetan a city that holds religious people” and open “meaningful significance for both groups. dialogue” with His Holiness the In October in New York City, at Dalai Lama and other Tibetan the Fourth Session of the Russell leaders in April. The Laureates Tribunal on Palestine, jury also asked the Chinese govern- members, including Mairead ment to release Tibetan political Maguire, found the US to be prisoners and allow unrestricted complicit in Israel’s violations of access to Tibet for journalists, international law due to their human rights investigators, ongoing diplomatic, economic, and diplomats. The letter resulted and military support of the Israeli in a number of international government. The Tribunal, which media articles. focuses on the root causes of Promoting peace in Palestine the conflict, also named the UN In March, Nobel Peace Laureate as complicit based on their lack Mairead Maguire and anti-war of concrete action to uphold the activist Cindy Sheehan published rule of law. an op-ed calling for a peaceful In November, the Nobel Women’s end to bloodshed and human Initiative joined other women’s rights violations in Palestine and groups around the world and encouraged participation in the called for an immediate end to the

16 June 20 June 1 July Aung San Suu Kyi finally The New Democratic The ICC celebrated its accepted her Nobel Party of Canada put forth 10-year anniversary as peace prize (awarded in a motion, supported by the world’s first-ever 1991) in Oslo, Norway. all parties in the House permanent, treaty-based, of Commons, that calls international criminal on the government to court to end impunity for play a leadership role in grave crimes: genocide, ending sexual violence, war crimes including supporting its victims, rape and gender and making perpetra- violence, crimes against tors accountable. humanity, and the crime of aggression. 14 Nobel Women’s Initiative airstrikes targeting civilians, after Producer Mark Burnett, the letter violence escalated between Israel requested the show be cancelled and the Palestinian Gaza Strip, due to its glorification of war and following the killing of a top armed violence, as well as it’s Hamas military official. “….massive disservice to those who live and die in armed conflict Stars Earn Ire, and and suffer its consequences long Laureates Score a Victory after the guns of war fall silent.” On August 13, ten Nobel Peace An NBC spokesperson responded Laureates released an open letter by stating that the show is in fact drafted by Nobel Women’s not about glorifying war but is Initiative Jody Williams to NBC “...a glorification of service” and stating their opposition to the new shows gratitude to the young reality show “Stars Earn Stripes”. Americans whom put their lives Hosted by retired General Wesley in danger on a daily basis. Clark and other members of the United States military, the show The letter was shared in over two followed a group of minor dozen international media outlets, celebrities who participate in including Forbes, The Chicago various challenges that parallel Tribune, and Foreign Policy. The training exercises used by the letter also assisted in spurring a United States military. protest outside of NBC Entertain- ment’s headquarters in New York Directed towards NBC Entertain- City. The protest, publicly ment Chairman Robert Greenblatt, supported by the Nobel Laureates, General Wesley Clark and was attended by war veterans, 2012 at a Glance 6 July 15 July 14 August South Sudan celebrated The African Union Nobel Laureate Leymah its first year of elected its first woman Gbowee planted a tree on independence from leader, South African the Green Belt Sudan amidst ongoing Nkosazana Clarice Movement’s property, conflict and a Dlamini-Zuma, at the honouring the legacy of humanitarian crisis. summit of Heads of her sister Peace State in Addis Ababa. Laureate, Wangari Maathai. She also participated in the “Strengthening Women Leadership in Transition” conference in Nairobi. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 15 The war on drugs and increased militarization in Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala is becoming a war on women. The governments’ efforts to improve ‘security’ in the region have directly resulted in insecurity for civilian “ populations—and most especially, for women. Jody Williams ” military families and concerned Guatemala, and Honduras, fueled citizens alike. While “Stars Earn by decades of conflict, an Stripes” finished its first season, ongoing drug war, continued NBC has quietly removed the militarization, large-scale mining show from its future listings. projects, as well as an ineffective police and justice system. In Women achieving justice Mexico, some 50,000 people were killed between 2007-2011. We support work to achieve justice In Honduras, femicides rose for women, including accountability 257% since 2002, with 460 for crimes committed against women women killed last year. In Guate- and an end to widespread impunity. mala in 2011, 705 women were killed compared to 213 in 2000. Bringing attention to the “war on The true toll is even greater as women” in Central America: thousands more are assaulted Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras and “disappeared.” Forced disappearances, murder, sexual violence, torture and Although the governments of harassment have become these countries recognize the commonplace in Mexico, problem and have created

30 August 19 September 21 September The Nobel Women’s Aung San Suu Kyi began Jody Williams and Initiative launched its a long-awaited 20-day Leymah Gbowee met Sister-to-Sister US tour. with sister Nobel Peace Mentorship Program Laureate Aung San Suu in Ottawa. Kyi of Burma in New York. They discussed the current situation in Burma, women’s role in the peace process, and the lifting of economic sanctions. 16 Nobel Women’s Initiative Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues in the Americas appear to be most at risk of being killed or “ having an attempt made on their lives. UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur,” December 2010. specialized agencies to deal with perpetrating human rights abuses. it, human rights violations against The delegation held press women are rarely investigated, conferences in each country and much less prosecuted, creating did extensive media outreach. a culture of impunity that This resulted in a great number of results in even higher levels national and international media of sexual violence. pieces in both English and Spanish which significantly raised Jody Williams and Rigoberta the profile of the issue of sexual Menchú Tum led a delegation to violence in the region. the Central American region in January 2012 to meet with and In collaboration with Just support women human rights Associates (JASS) and their defenders and Indigenous partners in Mesoamerica, the peoples, to bring attention to delegation—which included violence against women, to journalists, women’s rights pressure governments to end experts, business women, and impunity for human rights women in the performing arts— violations, and to address the role heard testimony from over of mining companies in 200 women’s human rights 2012 at a Glance 22 September 24 September 23-25 September The Nobel Laureates The Nobel Laureates Members of the met with Fatou held a panel discussion Campaign’s Advisory Bensouda, ICC Chief at the BMCC Tribeca Committee met in New Prosecutor, to discuss Performing Arts Center York to discuss campaign challenges and alongside UN General strategies and to lobby opportunities for Assembly about ending UN member states for advancing justice for gender violence and increased leadership women and survivors promoting justice and action on preventing of gender violence for survivors. and prosecuting sexual in conflict. violence at the national and international levels. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 17 defenders about rape, murder, Attorney General Marisela forced disappearances, and Morales and Supreme Court more. The delegation found that Justice, Olga Sanchez Cordero. in Mexico, Honduras and Guate- In their report, From Survivors to mala the police—and increasingly, Defenders: Women Confronting soldiers sent out to cities and Violence in Mexico, Honduras & communities under the ‘drug Guatemala, the Nobel women war’—not only fail to guarantee identified three causes for the rise public safety, but are also the in violence: i) the expanded police perpetrators of many crimes and military presence, in the committed against women. context of the drug war and Private security firms hired by increasing displacement for multi-national companies are natural resource exploitation and another unchecked source megaprojects; ii) corrupt, discrim- of violence and insecurity for inatory and inept systems; women, particularly Indigenous justice and iii) targeted attacks on women and rural women. human rights defenders. The delegation also met with They called on the region’s high-level government officials, governments to end the criminal- including President Porfirio Lobo ization of human rights defenders, Sosa of Honduras, President publicly denounce violence Otto Pérez Molina and Attorney against women, and properly General Claudia Paz y Paz of investigate and prosecute these Guatemala, and Mexico’s crimes. They also urged the

26-28 September 9-16 October 11 October The Campaign Jody Williams led the The Nobel Women’s coordinator and Breaking Ground Initiative stood in members of the delegation to the Alberta solidarity with women Advisory Committee oil sands and along the human rights defenders participated in the route of the Northern in Honduras on a Day Joan B. Kroc Institute Gateway pipeline into of Action organized by for Peace & Justice British Columbia to listen the Meso-American conference, “Breaking to women and First Initiative to show Barriers: What it will Nations groups about the support for women take to achieve security, impacts of the pipeline facing severe violence, justice and peace” in on their communities. criminalization, and San Diego, California. other rights violations. 18 Nobel Women’s Initiative The mission has clearly stirred up the dust. The good part is that violence “ against women activists is on the agenda for today. Jody Williams ” international community to tie aid Soon after the delegation left to human rights and to increase Guatemala, the president publicly funding of women’s organizations, advocated the legalization of whose community-based model drugs to end the violence. is a better solution to the region’s “security challenges” Supporting the first female prosecutor at than militarization. the International Criminal Court (ICC) On June 15, 2012, Fatou The report was launched in June Bensouda assumed the role of with events at the US Institute of Chief Prosecutor of the ICC. Peace in Washington, D.C. and A Gambian national, Fatou is the on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, first woman and the first African Canada to discuss findings to assume the position. The ICC, directly with key policymakers, which marked its 10th anniversary officials, NGOs, and media. The on July 1, plays a critical role in delegation emphasized the not only prosecuting those impacts of US foreign policy— responsible for rape but also particularly the “War on Drugs” those who plan and order the and military policies— on women’s systematic use of violence, which lives and freedoms in Mexico, is vital for preventing future Honduras, and Guatemala. 2012 at a Glance 7 November 12-14 November Liz Bernstein published Jody Williams Siege project, and an article in the participated in the UK Susannah Sirkin Huffington Post urging Wilton Park Conference of Physicians for the Canadian on “Preventing Sexual Human Rights. government to heed Violence in Conflict and women’s concerns over Post-Conflict Situa- the environment and tions” with Campaign climate change. members Lauren Wolfe of Women’s Media Center’s Women Under 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 19 conflict and providingjustice under house arrest in February to survivors. The International 2011 after calling for solidarity Campaign to Stop Rape & with the popular movements in Gender Violence in Conflict Tunisia and Egypt. Shirin Ebadi, launched the “Support Fatou” joined by her fellow Nobel Peace (#SupportFatou) online action, Laureates, publicly called for their calling for action to ensure the unconditional release, as well as international community supports for the freedom of all prisoners of her important work toward conscience in Iran (numbering at ensuring accountability for least 500). perpetrators of sexual violence The Nobel Laureates also in conflict situations and gender continued to press for the release justice worldwide. As well, the of the fearless and highly action urged nations to donate to respected lawyer, activist, and the ICC Trust Fund for Victims mother of two, Nasrin Sotoudeh. of sexual and/or gender-based Nasrin has been locked up in violence. Campaign supporters Iran’s notorious Evin prison since also sent online messages of January 2011, illegally detained support on the occasion. for defending political prisoners and speaking out about human Calling for the release of Iranian rights abuses. The UN Working political prisoners Group on Arbitrary Detention has Iranian opposition leaders Zahra declared her detention illegal. Rahnavard, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Mehdi Karroubi were placed

19 November 22-26 November 25 November- The Nobel Women’s Tawakkol Karman 10 December Initiative welcomed the visited the Nobel As part of the global Human Rights Watch Women’s Initiative in campaign, 16 Days of report Losing Humanity: Ottawa to discuss Activism to End Gender The Case Against Killer strategies for our work Violence, the Nobel Robots and fully on women’s rights and Women profiled supported the call for issues of climate 16 extraordinary an international treaty justice. Tawakkol met women human to ban fully autonomous with Canadian rights defenders. weaponized robots. opposition leader Thomas Mulcair and Members of Parliament. 20 Nobel Women’s Initiative Urging the release of women human government to ensure the safety rights defenders in Sudan of the women in detention and to In keeping with our commitment secure their immediate release. to support and partnership with the women of Sudan, on July 13, Calling for justice for women human the Nobel Women issued a rights defenders in Atenco, Mexico statement expressing concern On May 4, the Nobel Women’s for the security and safety of at Initiative stood in solidarity with least 40 women human rights the women of Atenco and called defenders arrested at a peaceful on the Mexican government to demonstration in Khartoum and finally implement protocols for at risk of rape and sexual violence proper investigation and prosecu- by security forces. The demon- tion of violence against women strations were triggered by and women human rights high inflation and cutbacks in defenders. Six years ago two subsidies for food, housing, fuel, protestors died, 145 were brutally and school fees. Authorities used and arbitrarily arrested, and at teargas, nerve gas and live least 27 women were raped and ammunition against protesters. sexually tortured in detention. Women have remained at the Though they continue to be forefront of the resistance denied justice, 11 of the women movement, leading protests in have submitted their cases to the Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and Inter-American Commission on other major cities in Sudan. The Human Rights (IACHR). To Nobel Women urged the commemorate the courageous

2012 at a Glance 3 December The treaty banning the signing. The effort was successful advances in production and use of recognized in 1997 international humani- landmines (Convention when Jody Williams tarian law.” The Ottawa on the Prohibition of the and the International Mine Ban Treaty Use, Stockpiling, Campaign to Ban marked the first time in Production and Transfer Landmines were history that the of Anti-Personnel Mines honored with the Nobel production and use of a and on Their Destruc- Peace Prize. This conventional weapon tion) commemorated convention is praised was banned. 15 years since its as “one of the most 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 21 fight of these women against Keeping the spotlight on Claudia Paz y sexual torture, the Centro de Paz’s efforts for justice in Guatemala Derechos Humanos published In the face of death threats and Atenco: six years of impunity, violence, Claudia Paz y Paz, the six years of resistance, which Attorney General of Guatemala includes a prologue by Nobel and the first female to hold the Laureate Jody Williams. position, courageously advocates for victims of mass human rights Seeking justice for sexual violence fueled atrocities and works to ensure by mining companies in Guatemala those responsible are held One of the ways we honored our accountable. Paz y Paz’s office commitment to bring the voices built the case that brought former of the women we met on our President of Guatemala Effrain Americas delegation to an Rios Montt to trial for crimes international audience, was to against humanity, including host a screening of Granito: How genocide and mass rapes from to Nail a Dictator - a documentary over 20 years ago. Her office has about the quest for justice in since put Rios Montt under Guatemala. In June, the Nobel house arrest. Women’s Initiative and the Canadian Centre for International Calling for an inquiry into the deaths Justice (CCIJ) hosted the of innocent Hondurans screening and a panel discussion When four innocent Honduran with the filmmaker Pamela Yates, civilians were killed, including CCIJ Director Jayne Stoyles, and two pregnant women, following a Guatemalan anti-mining activist US-sponsored counter-narcotics Maria Cuc Choc focused on operation on the Honduran coast, women’s access to justice in the Jody Williams called on Ambas- region, how Canadian mining sador Melanne Verveer (United companies are fueling sexual States Ambassador-at-Large for violence against women, and Global Women’s Issues) to ways Canadians and others can conduct an investigation indepen- address the growing violence dent of the Honduran task force against women in the region. that dismissed the firing as Canada has one of the strongest self-defense. global mining presences in the region and the Nobel Women continue to work to support activists working for justice for their communities. 22 Nobel Women’s Initiative Indigenous women are often on the frontlines of communities that are trying to peacefully express their opposition to large-scale projects that threaten the health and land of Indigenous peoples. But instead of supporting these women’s demo- “ cratic rights, governments and multinational companies are too often supporting brutal violence to crack down on these women and their communities. Rigoberta Menchú Tum ” Women advancing equality than 70% of their land has been destroyed by the industry— and human rights despite clear treaties enshrining We support human rights defenders, their land rights within the including those working for women’s Canadian Constitution. and climate . equality justice The price of oil sands develop- Amplifying women’s voices on oil ment is taking its toll on human and climate change and wildlife. People are dying of Tar sands exist in approximately cancer, children are suffering from 70 countries around the world, breathing problems, and animals from Venezuela to Russia, but the are turning up with tumours. With largest reserve is in Northern transient populations, difficult Alberta, in Canada. The Canadian working conditions, loss of culture oil sands industry has experi- and rampant illness, violence enced exponential growth over the against women is rising in many oil past two decades, contributing to sands communities. climate change, causing wide- Jody Williams led a delegation of spread environmental damage six women activists to the Alberta with dangerous effects on air and oil sands and along the route of water quality, and harming local the Northern Gateway pipeline people and Aboriginal communi- into British Columbia last October ties. Indeed, in Canada, the oil to listen to women and First sands are the single largest Nations groups about the impacts growing source of toxic emissions. of the pipeline on their communi- Communities living in or near the ties. Members of the tour included 140,000 square kilometer oil Canadian singer-songwriter sands project in Alberta, many of Sarah Harmer, Canadian climate them First Nations, are witnessing scientist Marianne Douglas, complete destruction of their Kandi Mossett of the US Indig- land. For some Nations, such enous Environmental Network and as the Beaver Lake Cree, more Chris Page, board member of 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 23 San Francisco’s Center for protect the environment as well Environmental Health. as the lives and livelihoods of communities, particularly women They met with more than and children. 200 women, including Aboriginal women, from 13 communities Urging European Union to adopt the along the 1,100 km pipeline. They Fuel Quality Directive: No tar sands oil are angry about having to choose The European Fuel Quality between environmental destruc- Directive is a policy to reduce tion and economic development. greenhouse gas emissions from And they are extremely concerned transport fuels consumed in about the impact Canada’s oil Europe. The policy, which is production has on climate change. seeking final approval from EU The delegation heard shocking members, recognizes that tar testimony about poverty, sands oil causes more green- displacement, sexual violence, house gas pollution than environmental destruction, and conventional oil. In a open letter health impacts due to oil sands in February the Nobel Peace expansion. They also heard of Laureates urged EU heads of government and industry state to support the policy attempts to silence women despite the intense protests from defending their land and oil companies and the Canadian communities through violence government. The letter resulted and financial incentives. in dozens of media articles worldwide. The vote resulted They called for a full public inquiry in moving the decision from the into the social, economic, hands of the bureaucrats into environmental, and health impacts the hands of the politicians. of oil sands development. They It is now in the court of public urged the Canadian and US opinion, and we continue to governments to end their reliance actively encourage adoption of on crude oil, to invest in renew- this precedent-setting policy. able energy sources, and to

What used to be the boreal forest now is like the Sahara desert. And they want to pacify us with money. Yes, we are all here, we rely on this industry, but it should never be alright that you have to choose between your values, and who “ you are as an Indigenous person. Crystal Lameman of Beaver” Lake Cree Nation 24 Nobel Women’s Initiative Speaking out against the new Shirin also launched a website, Honduran mining law Remembering Iranian Women, In an op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen to gather and store the details of in March, Jody Williams argued sentences and executions of that women and communities are Iranian women activists. The site not adequately being consulted documents the women’s rights about a new mining law that would movement in Iran through make it easier for foreign mining three eras. companies, notably Canadian In July, with the International ones, to operate in Honduras and Federation for Human Rights endanger communities and their and the Iranian League for the environment. She warns that Defence of Human Rights, Shirin violence against women is called for an end to the human increasing in the country the UN rights abuses of Iranian political now calls the murder capital of the prisoners, such as public world and where 195 women were shaming, personal intimidation, murdered in the first half of last torture, unwarranted harassment year alone. While in Honduras, the of family members, and limited Nobel women’s delegation met access to legal representation with women who talked about how and medical care. the San Martin mine in the Siria Valley, owned by a subsidiary of This past March, the 56th UN Canadian-owned Goldcorp Inc., Commission on the Status of has contaminated local water Women hosted a panel focusing supplies leading to skin rashes on the harassment of women and high levels of lead levels activists in Iran. Yee Htun, residents’ blood. Journalists who coordinator of the International have reported on concerns about Campaign to Stop Rape & Canadian mining operations have Gender Violence in Conflict, was received death threats. among the panelists who spoke in support of Iranian women who Protecting women’s rights and women’s rights could not attend due to threats defenders in Iran from the Iranian government. In September, prompted by severe restrictions on women’s education Supporting change and women’s and birth control programs, Nobel rights in Burma Laureate Shirin Ebadi called on In September Leymah Gbowee the UN to investigate the increas- and Jody Williams met with sister ingly deteriorating situation of Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung San women’s rights in Iran. Suu Kyi, for the first time since 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 25 her release from house arrest in Women’s League of Burma in 2010. The Laureates discussed maintaining a cautious approach the current situation in Burma. to the recent changes. Sexual This included discussion around violence, forced labour and the lifting of economic sanctions fighting are still rampant in ethnic and the role of women in the regions of Burma and there is still peace processes in Burma. The a long way to go before peace meeting was part of Aung San and democracy are a reality. In Suu Kyi’s 20-day speaking tour November the Nobel Laureates of the United States. called for an end to the violence in Kachin and Rakhine States and While Burma has undergone for the protection of and the change in 2012, we continued to delivery of aid to vulnerable offer (and increase) our support to populations. Ahead of a meeting organizations like the Women’s between US President Obama League of Burma and others who and President U Thein Sein of are working to support and Burma, the Laureates also strengthen a broad-based stressed the importance of democratic women’s movement including women and ethnic and gender within the justice groups in any reconciliation and borders of Burma and on the democratic reform processes. Thai-Burma border. In December the Nobel Women helped to Supporting voices of women of the Arab Spring support a delegation led by the Nobel Peace Laureate Tawakkol Women’s League of Burma into Karman visited the Nobel Burma to meet with women’s Women’s Initiative in Ottawa to groups and student leaders to discuss strategies for our work on build networks and facilitate women’s rights and issues of women’s involvement in the climate justice. Tawakkol also peace process. We also assisted met with Canadian opposition with trainings on advocacy and leader Thomas Mulcair and NDP media through partners who have Members of Parliament Paul strong networks inside Burma. Dewar and Wayne Marston to share her thoughts on Canada’s Promoting fully-inclusive democratic climate change plan, and called reform in Burma on the Canadian government to While global optimism for reform continue supporting the Arab has increased after the recent Spring activists and reform. elections in Burma, the Nobel Women joined with its partner, 26 Nobel Women’s Initiative The Nobel Women’s Initiative Welcomes Two New Nobel Peace Laureates 2011 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipients Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman have joined the Nobel Women’s Initiative. These inspiring and courageous women are perfect examples of how ordinary women can harness nonviolent protest to create peace, justice, and equality in their communities. We look forward to working with Tawakkol and Leymah to increase the strength and visibility of women activists around the globe!

We must continue to unite in sisterhood to turn our tears into triumph. There is no time to rest until our world achieves wholeness and balance, where all men “and women are considered equal and free. Leymah Gbowee Leymah Gbowee received the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in leading” a women’s peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. She heads the Ghana-based Women Peace and Security Network (WPSN) and has recently launched a foundation that funds Liberian girls through college. After her country erupted in civil war in 1989, Leymah took action by training as a trauma counselor to treat former child soldiers. The war ended in 1996 only to be followed by a second civil war in 1999. Tired of witnessing the sexual violence and brutality, Leymah mobilized an interreligious coalition of Christian and Muslim women to stage pray-ins and nonviolent protests demanding reconciliation and peace talks. The pressure pushed President Charles Taylor into exile, and paved the way for the election of Africa’s first female head of state, fellow 2011 Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Documenting these efforts in the Tribeca Film Festival 2008 Best Documentary winner Pray the Devil Back to Hell, Leymah demonstrated the power of social cohesion and relationship-building in the face of political unrest and social turmoil. Leymah continues to work on behalf of grassroots efforts for sustainable peace, addressing the particular vulnerability of women and children in war-torn societies, and pushing for greater inclusion of women as leaders and agents of change in Africa. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 27

I am a citizen of the world. The Earth is my country “and humanity is my nation. Tawakkol Karman ”

Tawakkol Karman received the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in the nonviolent struggle for women’s safety and for women’s participation in peacebuilding work in Yemen. She is the first Yemeni, the first Arab woman, and the youngest (at age 32) to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Long before anyone had ever heard the term “Arab Spring,” Tawakkol, a journalist and human rights activist, was mobilizing others and reporting on human rights abuses, illegal detentions and drone attacks outside the cabinet building in Sanaa. She founded Women Journalists Without Chains in 2005 to provide media skills to journalists, advocate for rights and freedoms, and document human rights abuses against journalists and writers. Known amongst Yemen’s opposition movement as “mother of the revolution” and “iron woman,” Tawakkol was one of the first to support the youth protests in Tunisia and Egypt. Throughout the Yemeni uprising, it was common to walk through Change Square and hear her voice over the loudspeaker, leading the youth in chants. In January, the Yemeni government moved to silence her, but her subsequent arrest led to even larger protests demanding her release. Since receiving the award, Tawakkol continues to support female journalists and to rally Yemenis against government corruption and injustice, primarily from her tent in Change Square. 28 Nobel Women’s Initiative Women in action The Nobel Women’s Initiative, together with many other women’s organizations worldwide, again took part in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, a global annual campaign to bring attention to gender violence and the work of activists all over the world. First initiated by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991, the campaign begins on November 25, the International Day against Violence against Women, and runs until December 10, International Human Rights Day. This year’s campaign theme was From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women.

Through our 16 Days of Activism blog, the Nobel Women profiled 16 extraordinary women who do amazing work to defend women’s rights and establish a future for women that is free of violence and discrimination - including Indigenous-Canadian women opposing the oil sands and proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, Mexican and Honduran women who are taking action to stop the murders and disappearances of women, Palestinian and Israeli women opposing the occupation, Iranian women political prisoners, Burmese women’s rights activists who are wary of the engagement of the West with Burma’s current regime, and more. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 29 Meet some of these inspiring women activists: Sister-to-Sister Mentorship Program, 2012 Maria Luisa Aguilar Rodriguez Part of the Nobel women’s Sister-to-Sister mentorship Raising the voices of Indigenous women in Mexico program, Maria Luisa has been working in one of the most “This is a great opportunity for me impoverished regions of Mexico to tell the stories of those who with Tlachinollan, a human rights unfortunately cannot share their centre that promotes and defends story with you directly.” the human rights of the marginal- ized, including the naua, me’phaa, na savi and nn’ancuee Indigenous people, as well as the mestizos from the Montaña and Costa Chica regions in Guerrero. Tlachinollan’s multicultural, interdisciplinary team accompa- nies Indigenous peoples in their struggles to claim their basic human rights, in the face of increased violence due to militarization and drug trafficking, land conflicts and megaprojects, an ineffective justice system, and little or no access to basic education and health services— people such as Ines Fernandez and Valentina Rosendo, Indig- enous women who were raped and tortured after taking a stand against military impunity. 30 Nobel Women’s Initiative Aghssan Barghouthi Born and raised in Occupied Palestine, Aghssan Barghouthi Increasing awareness of the struggles of Palestinians in Occupied Palestine has experienced and witnessed the challenges of people living “I am not a heroine, I am doing my under occupation. Israel contin- best I can to be the voice of those ues to transfer the Palestinian real heroes and heroines struggling people out of the region, confis- in my country.” cating land and building settlements connected by a road network for the exclusive use of settlers. It has also begun building an apartheid wall, which spans 800 km, annexing around 50 percent of the West Bank. In addition, there are more than 4,000 prisoners in the Israeli jails including women and children, some younger than 16 years old.

Aghssan has chosen journalism as a profession so that she may share the truth about her coun- try’s situation with the world. She volunteers for the Stop The Wall Campaign to help expose the system of apartheid being implemented by the Israeli Occupation. Along with other youth who have lost faith in the political parties and the Palestin- ian authority, she created a youth group to protest the division between Fatah and Hamas Parties, the conditional fund, the normalization, and the imprison- ment of Palestinians, some of whom have spent more than 20 years in prison. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 31 Walaa Salah Mohamed Born in Khartoum, Walaa Salah has always been deeply involved Abdelrhman in politics to promote democracy. Advocating women’s participation and In 2007, she was elected as the decision making in Sudan first woman and the youngest “I was waiting for my father who ever president of Khartoum promised to bring me mango when University’s student union. She he got home. I waited for him for works in the Sudan office of the three months… and then I knew that Strategic Initiative for Women in he was detained for political reasons. the Horn of Africa with women They arrested him in the classroom at displaced and sexually abused the school where he was a teacher.” during the Sudan conflict. Together, they advocate at the grassroots level for social change and women’s economic empowerment, particularly on reforming Sudan’s discriminatory laws that restrict women’s participation in both public and private arenas, including the prohibi- tion of dancing in the presence of men and the restriction of women as street vendors. 32 Nobel Women’s Initiative Fatou Bensouda Canada. She grew up in the shadow of the oil sands develop- Seeking justice for sexual violence in Africa ment, witnessing its impact on her people, culture, livelihood, and “I am working for the land. Almost 70% of Lubicon victims of Africa, they territory has been leased by the are African like me. government for future develop- That’s where I get my inspiration ment, without consent by the and my pride.” Lubicon people—and in direct violation of their treaty and Fatou Bensouda is the first international human rights. In 2012, woman and the first African to Melina testified before the US take up the role of Chief Prosecu- Congressional Committee about tor of the International Criminal the detrimental effects and called Court (ICC). Recently recognized on the US to become a leader in by TIME magazine as one of the renewable energy production and 100 most influential people in the reject the Enbridge pipeline. world, Fatou is determined to give crimes involving sexual violence a higher profile at the ICC. She Crystal Lameman believes that the prosecution of Speaking out about oil sands rights those who systematically use violations in Indigenous communities rape during conflict is vital for in Canada preventing future conflict and “It should never be right providing justice to survivors. that you have to decide between your morals, Melina Laboucan Massimo values, who you are as an Exposing the impacts of the oil sands Indigenous person over feeding projects in Northern Alberta, Canada your family.” “I really feel the need to The first woman in her family to be a part of the struggle receive two university degrees, against the way the world Crystal is a Beaver Lake Cree is being desecrated for the pursuit of Nation activist, a Sierra Club profit. The natural balance of our Prairie Chapter Climate and environment is seriously in threat.” Energy Campaigner in Alberta, Canada, and a mother of two. Melina is an Indigenous and She is committed to restoring environmental activist from the Native treaty rights and stopping Lubicon Cree in Northern Alberta the expansion of the tar sands. who works as an oil sands Although many in her community campaigner for Greenpeace are afraid to speak out for fear of 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 33 losing their jobs in the oil sands Nobel Women’s Initiative to call for industry, Crystal is at the forefront Mexico to implement measures of a precedent-setting court to protect those who stand up case to hold the Canadian for human rights and justice. government accountable for 17,000 treaty violations. Berta Cáceres Flores Resisting militarization, patriarchy, Laura Reyes corruption and racism in Honduras Working courageously to end violence “They’re recruiting our and impunity in Mexico young people because “All of my aunts and it’s the only way to get uncles have fought for a job without having to migrate... human rights and it They have total impunity to abuse wouldn’t be right for me to turn women, especially poor women, around and say ‘I am too scared Indigenous women and women of because my life is in danger’.” African descent.” Laura Reyes is an activist from Berta Cáceres Flores is a leader Ciudad Juárez, Mexico whose among campesino, Indigenous, family has been the target of and popular movements in brutal violence, including house Mesoamerica. She is internation- burning, harassment, and ally renowned for her work on assassinations, for protesting human rights and economic against the hundreds of unsolved justice issues. Berta comes killings of women and human from the Lenca people and is rights violations committed by the co-founder and leader of the military. Laura has lost Council of Popular and Indig- six members of her family, enous Organizations of Honduras, including two uncles, two aunts and other region-wide coalitions and a cousin. When the murders of social movements that promote escalated in 2011, Laura and the participatory and collective remaining members of her family debate in Honduras, and the organized a sit-in at the Assistant creation of a new, representative, Attorney General’s office. They and just constitution that incorpo- stayed there for three weeks, rates women’s rights. Berta and staging a hunger strike, and even members of her organization have held a wake for two dead family put their lives at risk—facing members there. The Reyes family harassment, attacks, death is just one of many cases that threats and sexual violence— have led organizations such as for their human rights work. Amnesty International and the 34 Nobel Women’s Initiative Staying connected The rapid development of information technology has brought down walls, eliminated borders and brought people from around the world together as members of one family.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative The launch of the International uses new media and information Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender technology to effectively Violence in Conflict website connect with women around the www.stoprapeinconflict.org in world, sharing stories of extraor- April 2012 engaged and inspired dinary activists and providing the community to join the opportunities to take action, both Campaign and make a personal individually and collectively. Using pledge to act to end rape and our website, blogs, video clips, gender violence in conflict. The Facebook updates and tweets, website is integrated with an we are better able to connect, online database and serves as a interact, and inspire people to act. platform through which people can join the Campaign, learn about its goals, access toolkits, participate in Campaign actions, and learn more about public events.

From the Campaign’s launch in May 2012 until December 2012, the Campaign acquired 2,128 followers on Twitter, 4,406 views of its Campaign launch video on You Tube, 2,705 “likes” on Facebook and innumerable views of its photo Online Action albums of Campaign activities through Flickr. Over the past year, social and new media outreach has proved Increasing media coverage of to be highly effective in connect- the Campaign has substantially ing with new audiences and contributed to the public spreading the messages. discourse on rape in conflict. This media attention garnered 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 35 tens of thousands of Facebook appeared on CNN, Forbes and the “likes” and “shares” as well as Wise Latina Club among others. tweets all of which contribute The Breaking Ground delegation exponentially to raising aware- was also followed by a diverse ness about and generating audience throughout North support for the Campaign. America on both Facebook and Twitter. The Nobel Women’s Initiative team tweeted and blogged each meeting, making the women’s stories and concerns accessible and timely. The @NobelWomen account sent out thousands of tweets during the delegation including oil sands facts, actions, and direct quotes from the women activists. Our overall Twitter audience grew from 12,500 to over 13,500 followers Over the course of the 10-day from October 8-18 alone. delegation to Guatemala, Hondu- Our Facebook reach was similar. ras, and Mexico, we tweeted and Over the course of the delegation posted on Facebook and our we reached over 1000 new website about our activities. We followers. From the beginning of reached more than 250,000 the delegation to the end of twitter accounts—our widest October alone, we had a total network yet—resulting in an reach of over 350,000 Facebook incredible 1676 views of the users from nearly 23,000 people report through the Nobel generating stories from our content. Women’s Initiative’s website. There were over 9,000 website Our Flickr galleries with photos page views, with 2924 unique for each day of the delegation visitors. We made multiple received an average of 260 views Facebook posts each day, which each. We also used Instagram went out to our 6900 followers for the first time to reach new and our “Total Reach” nearly audiences, and gained an doubled from 4500 on the first audience of 660 followers with day of the delegation, to 9500 by just 20 selectively posted photos. the last day. Media pieces about We posted 1 – 2 videos on the delegation and the report also YouTube each day, including 36 Nobel Women’s Initiative delegate interviews and clips from television) also helped to spread delegation meetings, receiving a our message to a broad public total of 3,842 video views. Partner audience, with more than support also helped spread our 20 articles and news pieces message amongst even larger from 13 different news outlets. audiences. Shares and posts by large organizations garnered Media Coverage: Amplifying thousands of shares of their own. Women’s Voices Finally, the Nobel Women’s Initiative website featured activist The Nobel Women’s Initiative spotlights, stories from the road, continued to provide journalists take action posts, and photo and (traditional and online) with video content. Traffic more than resources, story ideas and doubled over the course of the expertise on a wide range of delegation. From October 7-18, issues. We kept them abreast the site had 7,182 visits from of the work of women’s rights 5,771 unique users viewing a total activists and our Laureates of 15,131 pages, and 75.29% through news releases, were new users. The majority of statements, op-eds, and editori- visitors were US-based, but over als - amplifying women’s voices 60 different countries were to as wide an audience as represented. Traditional media possible. In 2012, we garnered coverage (print, radio, and extensive media coverage, 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 37 particularly for our International Women and Violence: Campaign to Stop Rape & Honduras, Latino USA, Gender Violence in Conflict and NPR Radio, 7 December 2012. for our missions to Central (first of four part series) America, and to Western Canada Nobel Laureates highlight with articles in major newspapers violence against women in around the world as well as Mexico, Central America, CNN, television and radio stories. Here 5 June 2012. are just a few of the samples of our media coverage over the Violence against women Soars past year: in Mexico, UPI, 8 June 2012

Mexico, Honduras and Report Highlights Violence Guatemala Delegation against Women in Central America, Ms Magazine, Nóbeles se oponen a restituir 11 June 2012. ayuda militar de EE. UU. a Guatemala, Prensa Libre, Central American Women Suffer 30 January 2012. ‘Crisis of Violence,’ Forbes, 7 June 2012. The Drug War’s Invisible Victims, Netherlands Aid, TWLC’s Viviana Hurtado 31 January 2012. Moderates Panel with Nobel Peace Laureate or How This Manto de atropellos cubre Week I Have Professional a defensoras en México, Inter Whiplash, The Wise Latina Press Service, 1 February 2012. Club, 2 July 2012 Central America’s women at Bearing Witness: Sarah Harmer war: A delegation goes after discovers the power of the region’s strongmen by women’s voices, Elle Canada using the clout of Nobel Magazine, November 2012. women, Maclean’s Magazine, 28 February 2012. International Campaign to Stop Rape & Genocide on Trial in Guatemala, Gender Violence in Conflict The Nation, 29 February 2012. Worldwide, it’s ‘more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier Listen To The Women Of in wars,’ Huffington Post, Honduras, The Ottawa Citizen, 10 May 2012. 4 March 2012. 38 Nobel Women’s Initiative ‘We do not need any more proof’: Leaders tell UN it’s time to act on rape in war, Women Under Siege, 25 September 2012.

UN Women Demands End to Impunity for Wartime Rape and Violence, Inter Press Service, 26 September 2012.

Yes We Can! (End Rape in War), Huffington Post, 1 October 2012. RDC: l’ONG Sofepadi lance une campagne contre les viols, Breaking Ground: Women, Radio Okapi, 11 May 2012. Oil and Climate Change Let’s End Rape in Conflict, Nobel prize winner arrives in The American Prospect, Fort McMurray, tours Northern 14 May 2012. Gateway route for women’s perspective, War’s Common Weapon (and The Canadian , 9 October 2012 how women are trying to stop Press it), CTV News, 15 May 2012. Nobel group expects to hear both sides before condemning Peace laureates kick off oilsands, The National Post, crusade against rape, Standard 9 Oct 2012 Digital, 18 May 2012. Une prix Nobel de la paix visite “La guerra contra el terror les sables bitumineux , de Obama es peor que la CBC Alberta Le Café Show (radio), de Bush”, El País.com, 10 October 2012 11 June 2012. Jody Williams on pipeline, Stronger actions needed CBC (radio), to prevent conflict-related Vancouver Early Edition 11 October 2012 sexual violence – UN and partners, UN News Centre, Jody Williams and Sarah 25 September 2012. Harmer on CBC Power &

Nations pledge new UN effort Politics with Evan Solomon (television) (@1:08:40), to end use of rape as weapon 15 October 2012 in conflicts,Calgary Herald, 25 September 2012. 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 39 Oil Sands Greatly Undermining Action to Protect DRC Dr. Mukwege the Basic Needs of Local DR Congo doctor evacuated Women and Children Says after murder bid, AFP, Nobel-Led Delegation, 27 October 2012. Marketwire, 16 October 2012 DRC urged to protect int’l  Nobel winner joins pipeline campaigner against Gender opposition, The Globe and violence, panapress, Mail, 16 October 2012 27 October 2012.  Nobel laureates say oilsands Democratic Republic of Congo bad for women, children, must protect Dr. Denis Toronto Sun (with video), Mukwege after violent attack, 18 October 2012 apapress, 27 October 2012.  Harper, please listen to Who will stand up for the Sandy, Huffington Post, women of Congo?, The Ottawa 7 November 2012 Citizen, 29 October 2012. 40 Nobel Women’s Initiative Financial Summary Ray Folkins, CA completed the 2012 Nobel Women’s Initiative independent audit. The following excerpts are taken from his report. A complete copy of the audited financial statements is available from the office upon request.

2012 2011 ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash $ 118,106 $ 38,731 Accounts Receivable - 61,008 Prepaid Expenses & Deposits 35,369 96,242 $ 153,475 $ 195,981

LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts Payable & Accrued Liabilities $ 25,630 $ 107,192 DEFERRED CONTRIBUTIONS 48,726 87,986 UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS BEGINNING 803 20,419 Net Revenue (Expenditures) 78,316 (19,616) UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS ENDING 79,119 803 $ 153,475 $ 195,981

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS REVENUE Donations $ 681,748 $ 691,067 Foundations 10,000 108,139 Grants 1,001,382 500,852 In Kind Contributions 14,513 - Interest & Other Income 1,243 40,477 1,708,886 1,340,535 EXPENDITURES Administration & Program Support 293,716 305,090 Communications 351,677 351,423 Public Policy Engagement 985,177 703,638 1,630,570 1,360,151 NET REVENUE (EXPENDITURES) $ 78,316 $ (19,616) 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 41 2012 REVENUES Interest & Other Income 0%

Grants Donations 59% 40%

Foundations 0%

2012 EXPENDITURES Administration & Program Support 18%

Public Policy Engagement Communications 60% 22% Acknowledgements

BOARD MEMBERS Lesley Hoyles INTERNS Shirin Ebadi Coordinator, Events Bonnie Thornbury Mairead Maguire and Operations Emily Goose Rigoberta Menchú Tum Kimberley MacKenzie Erika Fitzpatrick Leymah Gbowee Coordinator, Online Jessica Rochman-Fowler Tawakkol Karman Media and Outreach Julie Savard-Shaw Jody Williams, Chair Melissa Eberly Zuzia Danielski Taryn Husband Coordinator, Tatiana Heinz STAFF AND SUPPORT Sister-to-Sister Liz Bernstein Mentorship Programme Executive Director Yee Htun Diana Sarosi Coordinator, International Manager, Policy Campaign to Stop and Advocacy Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict Rachel Vincent Manager, Media and Communications

The Nobel Women’s Initiative would also like to extend their thanks and gratitude to the dedicated individuals who assisted in furthering our work in 2012. This includes fundraiser and strategist Lynne Twist, accountant Julie Jenkins, designers Sandra Green, Alain Cote, and Jenny Walker, filmmakers Ed Kucerak, Jane Gurr, and Jith Paul, writer Augie Van Biljouw, website advisor Andrew Chisolm, network and server technologists Alastair Warwick and Ian Ward, Nancy Ingram & Christa McMillan of Foot in the Door Consulting and web developer Taras Mankovski and several other valuable consultants. We would also like to thank the activists we met along the way this year. They inspire, motivate, and empower us with their strength.

Concept and Design: Green Communication Design inc: www.greencom.ca 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 43

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