Women in Black: It's About Peace
by Dr. Phyllis Freeman

Women in Black, an international peace movement among women, is a far cry from the movie - Men in Black. Organized in Jerusalem in l988, a very small group of Israeli women protested in silence at a major traffic intersection by raising a black sign shaped like a hand. The protest was directed toward efforts to end occupation of disputed land between Palestinians and Israelis. Like so many movements, if the message resonates with what communities are feeling, the protest gains momentum and spreads. To date, Women in Black groups are mobilized in countries around the world, including the United States. The mission of Women in Black is:

 
"To stand in silent vigil to protest war, rape as a tool of war, ethnic cleansing and human rights abuses all over the world. We are silent because mere words cannot express the tragedy that wars and hatred bring. We refuse to add to the cacophony of empty statements that are spoken with the best intentions yet may be erased or go unheard under a passing ambulance or the wound of a bomb exploding nearby. Our silence is visible. We invite women to stand with us, reflect about themselves and women who have been raped, tortured or killed in concentration camps, women who have disappeared, whose loved ones have disappeared or have been killed, whose homes have been demolished. We wear black as a symbol to mourn for all victims of war, to mourn the destruction of people, nature and the fabric of life."

There are other mobilizing efforts like Women in Black that unite women who are interested in dismantling the 'war machine.' Grandmothers for Peace International started in the home of a grandmother in California who decided that it was time to protest the stockpiling of nuclear weapons fifteen minutes away in Sacramento, California. Barbara Wiedner, the founder, has led demonstrations against all aspects of militarism and nuclear arms.

"In most cultures around the world, grandmothers are revered as the keepers of the peace. We are inspired and motivated by that fact, but realize that in today's dangerous world we can no longer keep or promote peace by sitting in our rocking chairs," said Wiedner.

Joining Women in Black and Grandmothers for Peace International is a project that originated at Harvard University in the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Women Waging Peace "breaks new ground by recognizing the essential role and contribution of women in preventing violent conflict, stopping war, and sustaining peace in fragile areas around the world."

Conflict resolution, peace building, and foreign policy are the major areas of involvement for Women Waging Peace. The voices of women are powerful catalysts for change. Alliances are formed across geographic boundaries and across the lines of race, class and gender.