Trafficking of Women
The international crime of trafficking in women for forced prostitution in BiH has been recognized as such since 1995. However, the first night-clubs with women “dancers” from Eastern Europe have been opened in the early 1990s. At that time, it was not clear whether women were trafficked or had arrived on their own to voluntarily work in prostitution. The trade in so called “sex slaves” was relatively unknown in the region until the mid-1990s. The sex industry was fuelled by the arrival of tens of thousands predominantly male U.N. personnel, after the Peace Agreement was signed in 1995.
BiH has become one of the main destination countries for women mainly from Moldova, Ukraine and Romania. According to information provided by non-govermental organizations (hereinafter NGOs) which specificaly deal with the problem of trafficking in BiH, there are more than 900 brothels spread throughout the country.
Olivera Simic discusses the problems of bringing this to an end.
UN Reform
UN Reform Author: Simon Stander Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 12/08/2004 Category: Editorial On 2 December 2004, the high-level panel of reform of the UN reported to Kofi Annan. The panel was indeed high-level, but, interestingly, excluded anyone from the academic world: Anand Panyarachun (Chairman), former Prime Minister of Thailand Robert […]
Crying out loud for the children
Catherine Onekalit asks the question can von-violent methods help to end the war that has lasted seventeen years in northern Uganda destroying the lives of thousands of children and young people. She notes that progress has been slow but that is no excuse for stopping. Quite the opposite, and one way of moving forward is to shout as loudly as possible. The Peace and Conflict Monitor is helping. Join in the cacophony.
Unconventional Women and Politics
Molly Mayfield Barbee marks the 88th anniversary of the nineteenth amendment to the US constitution with an appreciation of the central role that women are playing in this year’s presidential race in the US (Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, and now Sarah Palin), as well as the much longer list of women whose unconventional demand for greater political participation brought us to where we are today.
Some recent and positive developments for women’s representation in Europe and Africa are also discussed, and women everywhere are encouraged to build on these successes, continue to collaborate, and practice their political rights.
Waging War on Toys
Sweden and Norway have successful voluntary restriction of the sale of war toys; Malta prohibits their import; Greece bans television advertising; Australia places some restrictions on imports. The European Parliament recommended that its member states ban advertising of war toys and reduce their sale.
What is your government doing about it?
Nukes Worldwide: Disarmament, Iran, and New Military Doctrines
Jayantha Dhanapala, former Under Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations, says that there is a need for political solutions to resolve the nuclear proliferation in recent times.
Dhanapala is now the Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordination of the Peace Process in Sri Lanka. He has also served as a Commissioner in UNSCOM and the Head of the Special Group visiting the Presidential Sites in Iraq in addition to his duties as Under-Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs.
In 2006 he will likely be Asia’s candidate for the post of the United Nations Secretary General.
Dhanapala feels passionately about disarmament. He spoke to Ravi R. Prasad at his office in Colombo.
Those pesky moral standardsPoems for Peace
Those pesky moral standards Author: Biljana Vankovska Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 07/12/2005 Category: Diaries According to a wise man, morality consists of drawing a line at some point. Indeed, this is a personal attempt to talk publicly on drawing one particular line, i.e. to share with you my own moral dilemma […]
Political Polarization in Hollywood
Despite the fact that many Jewish leaders in California have been sharply critical of the policies of the government of Israel and the vast majority of American Jews are liberal, especially in Hollywood, Michael Carmichael sees the defection of billionaire Saban and Spielberg to the Republicans in California as a significant move for the “Israel Lobby.”
Rescuing Afghanistan from Terror: Recommendations for Recovery
The undetermined question: where will Afghanistan go next? Taking a step forward – Al Santoli provides a solution oriented analysis of the insurgency in Afghanistan. Treading through a mud thick of strife, other options must be considered to overcome the increasing number of attacks on civilians and foreign parties and the ever-growing opium industry.
Save me! Save the Coltan you mean!
In the last issue we carried an interview with the General Mujahid Alam who was responsible for overseeing fair elections in the Congo. He predicted a quiet time at the polling stations and he was right. Unfortunately when the first results were announced fighting broke out in the capital, Kinshasa. Seventeen thousand UN troops were on top alert and more were called for. Will the elections lead to a long lasting peace in a country that saw three millions die in a five year civil war?