by Melissa Torres, US Section representative to International Board

Kristin Alder, Brandy Robinson, Altaira Hatton, Rachel Nagin, and I represented WILPF US at the United Nations Peace Forum on October 29.

Our panel,”Strategic Re/Engagements: Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda over the Next Fifteen Years and Beyond,” explored the role of local efforts, policy analyses, and men’s engagement. The panel aimed to create a dialogue in which individuals from multiple perspectives can share and learn from one another enabling and exploring the potential for growth.

Each of spoke from our different fields of expertise: Kristin about WILPF US’s pre-NAP consultations and the focus on human security, Brandy about the need to redefine the concepts of violence and armed conflict in order to maximize strategic engagements with 1325, Melissa about looking at immigration and human trafficking through the lens of 1325, Rachel about racial violence, particularly in inner cities, food security, and budgeting, and Altaira about women and mediation. The goal was to initiate dialogue about ways we can strategize and re-engage in ways that might allow us to overcome current obstacles.

I think it’s important to point out that this work is part of our connection to and continued work with the UN through PeaceWomen, Reaching Critical Will, WILPF International, and the WILPF US United Nations programs (Practicum and Local 2 Global). Brandy, Kristin, and I all joined WILPF through the UN Practicum, and all of us are now young leaders in WILPF. Brandy is a branch co-chair, I’m on the international and national boards and serve as Practicum faculty, Rachel and Kristin were our UN representatives, and Altaira was our treasurer.
 

PHOTO: Top row: Deputy Foreign Minister of Republic of Macedonia, Dragana Kiprijanovska; WILPF US International Board Representative Dr. Melissa I. M. Torres; Portland WILPF Co-President Brandy Robinson, Rachel Nagin. Bottom row: Kristin Alder and Altaira Hatton.