Women’s
Perspective on Security in a Changing World
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Statement
from Women’s Action for New Directions
Susan Shaer, Executive Director
Women’s Edge Coalition Press Conference,
July 20, 2004
Women's Edge press release: Click
here.
Click
here for the full Guide in PDF form.
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This
is a moment of great peril, and great promise. We
stand at a crossroads, where our nation and our world
face the prospect of two widely different visions
for our future: the potential for peace is greater
than ever; the potential for worldwide violence and
chaos is greater than ever.
At
a moment such as this, it is absolutely vital that
we decide which vision is the one we want to hold
onto and work for.
And
by “we,” I mean the women of this and
every other country. It is time for women to stand
up and speak out. To make clear what we value, and
what our vision includes. And to work to make that
become reality.
Because
women do have different values; and, we would say,
they are farsighted, pragmatic, generous values that
will see us through to a better, less violent future.
Women often have a sense that we are the caretakers
in our society. We care for ourselves, for our parents,
for our children if we have them; and we care for
the earth, for the peace and security of this and
future generations.
This
sense weighs on the decisions that women make. We
tend to look toward preserving the environment, toward
strengthening our schools and preschools, toward containing
nuclear capabilities.
And
it affects how we look at the role of the U.S. in
the world. The U.S. is a noble country, a beacon to
the world: it represents freedom, democracy, prosperity,
civil rights. We need to relate to the rest of the
world by sharing our good fortune and making our world
more secure.
Our
male leaders have too easily, too readily, too often
turned to military force to solve problems. As a result,
the U.S. finds itself increasingly isolated, a military
giant with few allies.
Women
offer another way. When women talk about building
security, we refer not only to military tools but
also non-military tools such as international relations,
international aid, diplomacy, and efforts to stop
the spread of deadly weapons. For example, with one
percent of our current military budget, we could secure
all the nuclear bomb material in the world, taking
it off the black market for good.
We
want to build a world where our families are safe;
and to realize that vision, we think about extending
a hand to the rest of the world. We believe that in
the long run, the U.S. will be safer and stronger
if it is respected, rather than feared.
As
we have all understood every day since 9/11, this
is one world; each of us is connected to the other;
and the only way forward is to recognize our responsibilities
and our opportunities.
Rather
than face the world with our guns loaded and our hands
closed, what if we went in with hands extended?
What
if women could change the vision?
WAND
Education Fund educates the public and opinion leaders
about the need to reduce violence and militarism in
society, and redirect excessive military spending
to unmet human and environmental needs.
