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Their background and experience, not least it is difficult to find the right strategies. It
their caring functions, may have given them is also important to discuss what our own
different perspectives, alternative visions and contribution to world peace should be.
methodological approaches. Women may
thereby have distinct contributions to make It seems obvious that we cannot continue to
to the traditionally male-dominated and misuse the world’s resources, both financial
male-defined political scene. Research shows and intellectual, for military purposes
that women tend to give political priority Additionally, this excessive military spending
to education, health, social development cannot provide the security we want. The
and solidarity and that peace agreements military actually makes us less safe, both
last longer when women have been party to economically and environmentally, by taking
the process. Probably the world would be so much of the resources that are needed
different – more just and peaceful – with for other purposes and by the enormous
better gender balance in governance at greenhouse gas emissions, the radiation and
different levels. The Covid-19 pandemic has pollution it creates. The military must not
in several ways weakened the situation of girls be allowed to continue to be an exception
and women. Fighting these injustices is vital to international climate agreements and
also to world peace. Presently we need, more continue to make very heavy boot prints
urgently perhaps than at any time, to develop on the soil, the water, the air and even the
a true feminist foreign policy and get out of atmosphere. Existing military forces should
the one-eyed patriarchal power-structures instead be converted and retrained to fight
still dominating international politics. the global climate and environmental crisis,
which warrants urgent remedial actions.
Q: Finally, what can be done, concretely,
to promote peace, and how do you see the War is obsolete and should never be
evolution of our society given what appear an option. It kills and maims, destroys
to be grim prospects? infrastructure and livelihoods and sends
millions on the run. With the blatant failures
Your question requires a longer answer than of militarized “security” in meeting any of
space allows, and it is, indeed, not easy to the major challenges, and actually making
avoid being overwhelmed by the multiple, them worse, the needs of people, not least
existential crises facing humanity, such as for food and health security, for human
i) a fast-growing inequality with millions security and common security, must be
of people on the run from poverty, hunger prioritized. The common security concept
and war, ii) looming and threatening climate was outlined for example by the Palme
and environmental catastrophes and iii) Commission 40 years back and reiterated in
the threat of nuclear weapons, ever more the excellent report Common Security 2022:
potent and easier to use. Pessimism and For our Shared Future by the IPB, the ITUC
apathy will take us nowhere, and we cannot and the International Olof Palme Centre. It
allow the destruction of humanity and our insists on the importance of realising that
beautiful planet. There is no alternative to nobody is safe unless everybody is safe, an
involvement and to being solution-oriented. experience also brought home in the context
of the covid-19 pandemic.
One meaningful step, on an individual
level, could be to engage with and support Instead of the old patriarchal model of
a peace organisation, participate actively in economic growth, militarism, competition
meetings and webinars, read enlightening and confrontation, with warfare over
books and seek knowledge beyond political welfare, which risks ultimately leading to
posturing, propaganda and mainstream apocalypse, we acutely need to restart a
information channels. disarmament process, including eliminating
nuclear arms, and instead build trust and
It is important both to try to have a holistic international solidarity. The United Nations/
approach to the challenges confronting UNESCO culture of peace concept was
us and a long term perspective. Without a groundbreaking and a blueprint for an
vision of what kind of society we would alternative security policy and should be
like to have in 20 years, 30 years, 50 years, relaunched.

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