Graduate Women International Urges Peace through Education
21 September 2019
International Day of Peace, Graduate Women International (GWI) and BFWG join the United Nations (UN) in encouraging all nations and people to honour the Day as a period of non-violence and ceasefire. GWI and BFWG further urge this cessation of hostilities as a commitment to improving education opportunities and standards for women and girls worldwide. Accordingly, as an organisation dedicated to peacebuilding through education for 100 years, GWI passed Policy Resolution 2/2019 at its Peace through Education General Assembly and Conference held 25-28 July 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Policy Resolution 2/2019 declares that GWI and its National Federations and Associations (NFAs) worldwide will urge their respective governments to promote education to build peace in their communities and society, especially for those girls and women not currently in the scholastic system. The resolution upholds that GWI and its NFAs seek “strong support from governments, including appropriate legislation to promote the advantages of having educated girls and women encouraging peace and increasing awareness in all communities and demonstrating the consequences if we do not help to build better societies without the fear of war and violence”.
“Education is one of the most powerful tools societies can implement to disarm the culture of war in any sense"
GWI President, Terry Oudraad.
GWI and BFWG recognize this year’s International Day of Peace theme, “Climate Action for Peace”, as critical to peace and the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 13 on Climate Action and SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. According to multiple studies, youth of today are key actors in achieving peace and crafting climate action. To provide essential climate action support to their generation and future generations, GWI and BFWG insist that girls must have an equal opportunity for education. Without education, girls and their futures risk being left behind.
Graduate Women International (GWI) is a membership-based international NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland, with presence in more than 60 countries. Founded in 1919, GWI is the leading girls’ and women’s global organisation advocating for women’s rights, equality and empowerment through access to quality education and training up to the highest levels. GWI is in special consultative status with ECOSOC since 1947 and is an NGO maintaining official relations with UNESCO and ILO.
