South Africa

10/08/1998 1 Conscription

conscription does not exist

With the end of the system of apartheid and the election of Nelson Mandela as the first chosen president of South Africa, conscription, which was for whites only, was abolished. From January 1994 onwards South Africa moved on to a fully professional army.

by Shelley Anderson

African women peace activists were very visible during the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women and the parallel NGO Forum, which took place in Beijing, China, in September 1995. A highlight of the opening ceremony for the NGO Forum featured the presentation of a peace torch by the African Women for Conflict and Peace Project. "The woman is the first person to promote peace, because she is the first victim when there is no peace," said one African activist. Below is a brief sketch of some of the peace work African women are involved in.

Gunfree South Africa

Adèle Kirsten, whom some readers will remember meeting at the WRI women's gatherings in Ireland and Thailand, has been appointed the National Co-ordinator of Gunfree South Africa. Gunfree South Africa is committed to reducing violence throughout the country by reducing the number of weapons, especially light firearms, now available.

Adele Kirsten, Training Co-ordinator with the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, has been a WRI supporter for many years. She attended the WRI women's gatherings in Glencree, Ireland and in Bangkok, Thailand. The following is an excerpt from a letter she recently wrote from her homeland, South Africa:

by Shelley Anderson

In late November, 1993, the Dutch Southern Africa Committee organized the seminar "Women and political participation in South Africa" in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Several days later, the University of Utrecht held its annual Southern Africa Days with a program that focussed on women's perspectives.

The General Assembly,

Mindful that the Charter of the United Nations sets forth, as one of the purposes of the Organization, the achievement of international co-operation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,

Recalling article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to freedom of though, conscience and religion,