Home About Services Partners Fellows Blogs Resources Take Action

A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Partners > Community-based P... > Europe > Women in Black Ne...

Women in Black Network from Serbia

Women in Black's mission is to make visible nonviolent resistance to militarism, war, sexism, and nationalism. In short, all aspects of violence towards and discrimination against women and all those people different ethnically, religiously, culturally, sexually, and ideologically.  Their goal is to prevent and resolve conflicts through dialogue, and above all instigate the active participation of women in the building of peace, in peaceful processes, and demilitarization. (Source: WIB)



Women in Black began its mission on October 9th, 1991, when it started a public nonviolent protest against various forms of hatred, discrimination, and violence.  Since its inception, the organization has organized more than 500 protests, mostly taking place in Belgrade, but also held in other cities throughout Serbia and Montenegro, the former Yugoslavia, Europe and the rest of the world.
 
WIB began its motto "Not in Our Name" to express its stance against the former Serbian regime's continuous generation of wars, misery, and hatred.  Presently, the cultural, moral, and spiritual climate created by the organization remains, and it now focuses on turning stances against certain practices into actions for change on a variety of levels and dimensions. (Source: WIB: About Us)

• Women's Peace March and Street Performance Forbidden (March 7, 2008)
• Serbia Faces Low Intensity War Again (February 25, 2008)

• Women in Black-Serbia holds street actions and vigils in Belgrade's main square, especially on important dates such as the annivesary of the Srebrenica Massacre and on International Human Rights Day.  The women symbolically dress in black to demonstrate their grief and protest in silence since they "refuse to speak superfluous words." (Protests and Vigils)

• Women in Black supported the establishment of The International Criminal Court for the Former Yugoslavia (since 1992), demanded the establishment of an international court for war crimes and war rape, supported the movement for the passage of a law that would criminalize genocide denial, and a series of similar initiatives related to the Srebrenica Genocide. (Confronting the Past)

• Since 2005, Women in Black has focused on the topic of peace, gender and security. Numerous conferences and seminars/trainings have been organized throughout Serbia focusing on the interconnectedness of gender, peace and security. Moreover, Women in Black launched campaigns related to Security Council Resolution 1325 'Women, Peace, Security', as well as engaged in a large number of street actions, performances, etc. (Security)

• Women in Black hosts Traveling Women's Peace Workshops that aim to encourage the development of civic society, women's self-organization and autonomy, women's solidarity, and to promote values such as peace, nonviolence, feminism, and anti-militarism.  The group also attends many conferences and holds many workshops, lectures and seminars. (Alternative Education)

• Women in Black and other organizations have launched a major campaign to pressure the Serbian government and international community to better protect Serbian women who defend human rights. (Advocates Launch Campaign to Protect Women Human Rights Defenders in Serbia)

To read more about what Women in Black advocates for, AP encourages you to visit their website.

• Press Releases

See Women in Black's homepage for their recent news.

Read a piece about a Women in Black activist joining in solidarity with an Albanian woman as her house was torn down on December 6, 2007.

Read the testimony written by a longtime Women in Black member who attended the Memorial Service in Srebrenica in July of 2008.

Read Women in Black's Manifest on Secularism (December 9, 2007)

Anniversary of Yet Another Massive War Crime (August 4, 2008)

Prijedor – An Unrecognized Genocide (July 23, 2008)

Kosovo – Serbia in the Aftermath of the Proclamation of Independence (April 8, 2008)

Women in Black's Participation in a Peaceful Protest with the Women of Srebrenica in Tuzla (April 8, 2008)

• Reports

Women in Black posts many of their publications online including "An Alternative History," "Women Against War," and educational material.

Serbia Faces Low Intensity War Again (February 25, 2008)

• Photographs

Women in Black hosts their photographs, posters, graphics and leaflets online in their gallery.

• Other Multimedia

You can watch video clips from the movie "Always Disobedient" on Women in Black's website.

Women in Black has produced a documentary describing the last 15 years of peace activism. You can view it on You Tube in three parts: part one, part two, part three.

• Advocacy Project News Bulletins: AP has published bulletins about Women in Black through the news service, AdvocacyNet.

• Blogs

AP sends 2008 Peace Fellow Janet Rabin to work with the Women in Black.  Read Janet's blog.

In 2007, AP sent AP Peace Fellow Gail Morgado to work with the Women in Black. Read Gail's blog.

July 12, 2005
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Marking The 10th Anniversary Of The Srebrenica Massacre
Radio Free Europe

July 1, 2005
Pompous ceremonies will do nothing without justice
The Guardian

For more, see Women in Black's Media page.

• Change.org/advocacy

October 30, 2007
Serbian and Kosovar Women Protest Against Military Spending in Kosovo

Outreach Partners

• Kosova Women's Network (KWN)

Contact:
Jug Bogdanova
Belgrade
Serbia
11 000
Tel: +381 11 26 23 225
Email Women in Black

Back