A Call to Women

By: Andre Sheldon
Submitted: 07/05/2008

Initiative’s are being planned. Change is in the air. There are thousands of humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGO’s)and peace organizations. But, they have no political clout, they attract little media attention, they are not funded, they have no long term strategy. All the women’s organizations are doing fantastic work, but do not get attention. At the conference, Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN in March, 2008, the reports were that women are not being listened to and do not get funding.

The following is a Global Strategy of Nonviolence, For the Children (GS of NV). The strategy is to be implementated through an initiative called a Call to Women, a World-Wide Unity Campaign. It is a “Call to Women” to "arise."

A Call to Women is the catalyst for political clout!
A Call to Women is the catalyst for a new global, political entity.
A Call to Women is the catalyst for a people party at the U.N.
It is designed to empower the U.N.

This is a challenge to people around the world, women, and men, to create an opportunity to break down barriers of nationalism, religion, and ideology to work for the common good of humankind. We do this “For the Children.” A “Call to Women” is the catalyst.

Sister Joan Chittister, September 11th, 2004, at the Omega / V Day conference, “Women and Power” said, “The lives of our children, the protection of millions, the hopes of all humankind, wait again now for women, from opposite cultures, opposite tradition, to step over the line of political hatred to save them.”

Women have at their fingertips, the strongest, most powerful political tool—nonviolence! Mahatma Gandhi said, “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.”
Women represent nonviolence more than any other element!

Women, the world needs you, now! If all the women in the world get together for peace, who is going to stop you? All the women must come together because there is going to be violence. History has taught us that war will come again. Only a pro-active, mandate, will help to prevent war. It is time for a pre-emptive strike against war, world wide!

Starhawk, an author and activist, wrote about women standing for peace as the representation of a “vision of strength.” She wrote, “Real security can come only when we weave a global web of mutual aid and support. As we make larger connections and take action together, we must assert what we as women know to be true: compassion is not weakness, and brutality is not strength.”

An incredible opportunity exists. The ability to communicate around the world is at an unprecedented high level. A comprehensive plan can bring millions and millions of people from around the world together. The world needs all of the individual efforts for peace, but it also needs a unified plan. A “Call to Women” is that plan.

Women must proclaim “We are not enemies” and be willing to stand up to support the concept. Does “We are not enemies,” give women strength? Does “We are not enemies” give strength to the moderate voice?

The time has come for change. Will you change? Will you stand up for peace? Will you join millions of women?

An extract from the writings of Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, in a book entitled Women, states about women, “…when they form a conscious and overwhelming mass of public opinion against war there can be no war.”
An announcement to begin preparationWomen, the time has come to mobilize around the world for peace, and create change, not wait for it.

WOMEN are rallying everywhere
WOMEN are standing up for PEACE
WOMEN are asking everyone to join
WOMEN want change