The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York (NGO CSW/NY) dedicated October 2024 as peace month to commemorate the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). In preparation for the thirtieth review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action taking place in March of 2025, the committee has focused its monthly meeting programming around the 12 Critical Areas of Concern. “Hear Them: Voices of Women and Girls in Armed Conflict and Occupation” was the topic of the committee’s October monthly meeting, which attracted over 800 registrants. The areas of “Women and Armed Conflict” and the “Girl Child” were addressed at this meeting.

Ivy Koek of SGI and NGO CSW/NY Co-Chair introduced the panel moderator, Shirine Jurdi, who is President of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Lebanon and Chair of the Arab Civil Society Organizations and Feminists Network, Steering Committee and WPS Working Group. After showing a series of moving images depicting the destruction that conflict and war are inflicting on women and children, Jurdi gave a background to the critical issues at hand, stating, “Are we here to point out the billions spent on arms—2.4 trillion dollars poured into weapons that perpetuate destruction? No. … We are here to ask the deeper questions. … Why is there endless funding for war but so little for life and dignity?” Before inviting three women and girls from the Middle East and Arab States region to give their testimonials, Jurdi said, “We are not projects; we are people. We are not merely resilient; we are demanding our right to live, to have our voices heard and to create a future where violence no longer steals our dreams. Now, it is time for you to hear us. It is time for transformation, not empty words.”

This was followed by six speakers including Suhair Mahdi, Executive Director, Human Security Initiative Organization (MAMAN) in Sudan; Rasha Jarhum, Co-Director, Peace Track Initiative of Yemen; and Hala Bugaighis, Co-Founder and Director, Jusoor Center for Studies and Development in Libya.

On 24 October 2024—the day of the annual UN Security Council Open Debate on WPS—NGO CSW/NY held its second Peace Rally. Participants chanted, “No justice, no peace,” as they walked the few blocks between the Church Center for the United Nations to the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza across from the UN Headquarters. This aptly captured the message of one speaker from the MENA region, who stated, “It is not enough to have a cease fire. We need justice.”

Co-sponsors included the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with the United Nations (CoNGO), Global Network of Women Peacebuilders and OXFAM International, among others.