Tag Archives: alternative

Declaration against the War in Libya

WILPF women in the UK, Germany, France and the United States are angry at our governments’ actions in Libya.

The bombing is hypocrisy. Our governments have presented military intervention as coming to the ‘rescue’ of rebels and civilians while diplomacy has taken a back seat. They have forgotten that military intervention is not the answer to the Libyan people’s calls for freedom and democracy.

The UN Charter clearly states that all parties need to settle their disputes peacefully, to ensure international peace, security and justice. Only when all other means have failed can further action be taken. In the case of Libya the obligation to work for peace has been reversed with the massive military strike coming first, while strengthened boycotts and civilian measures are still being debated.

We ask our governments to use diplomacy and peaceful political pressure to resolve the situation in Libya. We call for a total ban on arms exports to all sides in Libya, and no more arms exports to repressive regimes.

Statement from WILPF Germany against the war in Libya (PDF)

March for the Alternative

WILPF banner at the March for the Alternative demonstrationWILPF had a strong presence at the large March for the Alternative demonstration on Saturday 26 March 2011 against the governments spending cuts and cuts to public services.

You get what you pay for. From cuts to child benefit and tax credits, to cuts to Sure Start children’s centres, to cuts to sexual and reproductive health services, to cuts to women’s jobs, the cuts will have a disproportionate and unfair impact on women.

There is an alternative. An alternative where human security defines spending priorities, where health care is considered more important than nuclear weapons, where social services are more important than tanks and bombs and we invest in sustainable and equitable economic growth that will generate the prosperity for the long-term.