STATEMENTS
June 2nd, 2020
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Director | | 202-459-4769
BLACK LIVES MATTER
WAND’s executive Director, Nancy Parrish, released the following statement:
“As an organization of women committed to security and peace with justice, we cannot remain silent in this moment. We condemn the callous disregard for life shown by uniformed police officers as they murdered George Floyd on the street in Minneapolis. Coming on the heels of the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and so many other Black men, women, and children before them, we join in the chants of enough is enough.
"We stand in solidarity with the protesters across this country demanding justice for those discriminated against and killed at the hands of our own government. Without justice, there is no peace. We are dedicated to actively opposing racism in all its forms and call for an end to the institutional and cultural white supremacy that underpins and perpetuates this violence and devastates the Black community.
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"BLACK LIVES MATTER"
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May 12th, 2020
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Director | | 202-459-4769
Women’s Action for New Directions Publishes Paper
Calling to Save New START
Washington, D.C. On May 12th, Women’s Action for New Directions released Mutually Assured Dividends: The Case for New START Extension, a paper examining the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) and calling for its extension to 2026. The paper argues that New START is critical to reducing nuclear weapons stockpiles and increasing transparency between the U.S. and Russia, the world’s two largest nuclear powers. The paper then examines the consequences of a New START expiration on U.S. national security, U.S.-Russia relations, and ally security.
WAND’s executive Director, Nancy Parrish, released the following statement on the paper’s release:
“Extending the existing New START treaty is critical. For decades, nuclear treaties between Russia and the U.S. have built trust between our nations by increasing transparency and lowered the threat of nuclear war by reducing the number of weapons we each have. Allowing the existing New START treaty to lapse would surely lead us down the path to a new Cold War.
“Especially in these uncertain times, the last thing the U.S. needs to do is increase the risk to our national security or create unnecessary costs by suddenly growing—rather than reducing—the number of nuclear weapons we have. Beyond our own borders, we risk relationships with our European allies and the global stability that we have worked so hard to build.
“As we face the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and the havoc that it is inflicting, we need to do everything in our power to preserve the tried and true foundations that have kept us safe from a nuclear arms race with Russia for decades. WAND wholeheartedly recommends that the Administration take swift and decisive action to ensure the security of the United States and preserve a peaceful world order.”
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March 7th, 2019
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
International Women’s Day: WAND hosts panel and reception at SXSW
February 10th, 2020
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Director | | 202-459-4769
Trump Budget fills Defense Contractors' Coffers at the Expense of Women and Families
Washington, DC - Today, President Donald Trump released his FY2021 Budget Request, “A Budget for America’s Future.” In response, WAND’s Executive Director, Nancy Parrish, released the following statement:
“The Trump administration has shown us how they want to spend American’s hard-earned money: decimating funding for our diplomatic efforts around the globe while increasing spending for weapons systems that make our world a much more dangerous place. Lining the pockets of wealthy corporations and cutting the safety net that the poorest among us rely on. It is at once absurd and immoral.
“Whose future is improved by this budget proposal? The increased funds proposed to run through the Pentagon and directly into defense contractors’ pockets will starve the needs of American families and disproportionately impact low wage workers and single heads of households - the majority of whom are women. The dollars that fund a wide array of crucial services such as health care, environmental protection, repairing roads and bridges, and much more would be cut to improve the future of a handful of companies and the very wealthy people who run them.
“The President’s proposed budget would stymie economic growth and shift costs to the states. By diverting funding for domestic programs to unnecessary and wasteful Pentagon projects, we sacrifice opportunities for improving the economic reality for low income women and families. Public dollars invested in clean energy, health care, and education create significantly more and better paying jobs when compared to investing an equivalent amount in the military sector.
“The sustainable way of improving America’s future is to invest in diplomacy and fund services that have tangible impacts on people’s everyday lives: combating climate change and ensuring that we have safe and clean water to drink and air to breathe, building a world class education system that lifts people out of poverty, and providing a healthcare system that works for all.”
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November 14th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
WAND hosts an all-women panel at SXSW on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation
August 20th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
California State Assembly AJR 30 Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017
Sacramento, California - Today, the California State Assembly passed AJR 30, the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017. Executive Director of Women’s Action for New Directions Nancy Parrish, released the following statement applauding its passage:
“California is one step closer to making history as the first state to pass a resolution opposing the President’s sole authority to launch a nuclear weapon. The people of the United States are terrified that the President will make a rash decision and launch a nuclear weapon - and that no one can stop him once he does. As a California native, I am incredibly proud to see my home state lead the way as it has so many times before. I look forward to the state Senate taking up and passing this resolution as soon as possible. California will send a strong message to Congress: no single person should have the ability to start a nuclear war.”
AJR 30 was introduced by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, AD 4, who, in response to the bill moving to the Senate, said, “no individual should have the unilateral power to change the course of human history and the health of our world. Our constitution protects against such despotism through the balance of powers. All I ask with this resolution is for our Delegation to support a federal bill that requires any president to seek the input of his or her Congressional colleagues before ending the lives of millions of human beings, and the inevitable retaliation against the United States.”
August 29th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
BREAKING: California Passes First State Resolution Calling on Restrictions of President’s ‘First Use’ of Nuclear Weapons
June 12th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
Small steps in Singapore: Diplomacy is key to denuclearization
In response to the statement signed by President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, Executive Director of Women’s Action for New Directions Nancy Parrish released the following statement:
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“Diplomacy is a process. Today, President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un engaged in the first step of that process. But it was only a first step. The United States of America and North Korea must be committed to diplomacy in the months and years to come. Denuclearization is the goal, but the agreement signed in Singapore offers no clear commitment to or time table for reaching that goal.
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We urge both countries to continue to engage in diplomatic efforts aimed toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. As they do, it is critical that they involve more women experts in the process. When women are included in peace processes there is a 35 percent increase in the probability of an agreement lasting at least 15 years. In order to the achieve long-lasting denuclearization and peace on the Korean peninsula, the diplomatic process between North Korea and the United States of America must continue, and women must be at the table.”
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May 24th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
President Trump abandons diplomacy, cancels summit with North Korea
Executive Director Nancy Parrish released the following statement on President Trump’s cancellation of the North Korea summit:
“WAND strongly condemns President Trump’s decision to cancel the June 12th meeting with North Korea to discuss nuclear disarmament. By abandoning the meeting, the Trump administration has squandered the opportunity to negotiate any sort of deal and increased the threat of conflict and nuclear war.
In Trump’s incoherent letter to Kim Jong Un, he not only cancels the meeting but also threatens North Korea with the United States’ “massive and powerful” nuclear weapons. This sort of hyper-masculine provocation is unhelpful at best,deadly at worst, and highlights the need to include women in this process.
The Trump administration has stated previously that it is committed to a diplomatic solution to the United States’ tense relationship with North Korea. Now is the time to demonstrate that commitment by continuing to work toward a summit despite the escalating rhetoric.
We urge the Trump administration to foster the necessary conditions for a diplomatic resolution by ceasing all inflammatory remarks, involving regional and topical experts in future decisions regarding North Korea, and relying on those who have a genuine understanding of the nuances of diplomacy when crafting foreign policy. We implore President Trump to reschedule the North Korean summit and restore his previous commitment to peaceful dialogue with Kim Jong Un. It is not too late to create lasting peace on the Korean peninsula."
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August 14th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
California State Assembly's Committee on Public Safety passes AJR 30 Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017
Sacramento, California - Today, the California State Assembly’s Committee on Public Safety passed AJR 30, the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017. In response, Executive Director of Women’s Action for New Directions Nancy Parrish, released the following statement:
“I applaud the Committee’s passage of AJR 30. This bill reflects the growing consensus among the American public that no one person should have the sole authority to start a nuclear war. The American people are terrified that President Trump will launch a nuclear weapon at the slightest provocation. The consequences of launching a nuclear weapon are far too great for any one individual to have that power. Today, the committee sent an important message to the United States Congress: it is time for them to take action to prevent the President from plunging the world into nuclear war. Now the full California Assembly must follow suit and pass AJR 30 as soon as possible.”
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May 8th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
President Trump Withdraws from the Iran Deal
Today, President Trump announced that he is withdrawing the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Deal. With this announcement, the United States has officially failed to uphold its part of a historic agreement that is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
President Trump’s reckless decision to reimpose sanctions is based on his personal belief that the deal is “very bad.” It is also in direct contradiction to the repeated verifications provided by the IAEA and the positions of our international allies.
By undermining the JCPOA, President Trump has not only jeopardized the agreement, he has deeply damaged the United States’ standing in the international community and our reputation as a dependable ally. This decision is dangerous and short-sighted, especially at a time that the United States is actively engaged in other nuclear nonproliferation negotiations.
WAND strongly supports the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We urge the remaining five signatories and the Iranian government to continue to support this agreement despite President Trump’s failure to keep the United States in compliance.
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May 1st, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
WAND Welcomes Nancy Parrish as Executive Director
May 1st, 2018, Dianne Valentin, WAND Inc. Board Chair and Susan Cundiff, WAND Education Fund Board Chair release the following statement on the hiring of Nancy Parrish as the Executive Director of WAND.
Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND) is pleased to announce that Nancy Parrish, the Interim Executive Director of WAND, has accepted the position of Executive Director. Nancy’s 20 years of experience as an executive and her expertise in navigating change has reestablished WAND as the voice of women in the peace and security community.
“WAND sits at the intersection of denuclearization and feminist leadership at a time when these two movements are gaining momentum and feeding each other’s growth. I am so excited to continue working with our team to ensure that women’s voices are at the tables of power and the threat of nuclear war is eliminated,” says Nancy.
Before joining WAND, Nancy operated her own consulting firm specializing in organizational transition, board development, and growing revenue for nonprofits and associations. She also served as the Executive Director of the California State Association of Counties Finance Corporation and CalTRUST and was a Director for the National Association for Counties Financial Services Center (NACo FSC) for over a decade.
As Interim Executive Director, Nancy’s expertise has proved invaluable; over the last eight months she hired five new full-time employees, supervised an organizational rebranding and website redesign, and optimized the administrative and development functions of the organization.
“I am honored and excited to continue working with the amazing board, staff and partners of WAND. It is truly a remarkable group and I feel very fortunate to work with them.”
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April 17th, 2018
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
Hire Women to Fill Key Korean Diplomatic Vacancies
Washington, D.C. -- Women’s Action For New Directions (WAND) Interim Executive Director, Nancy Parrish, releases the following statement on the bilateral U.S.-North Korea summit.
Today Trump declared that the U.S. has had “very high-level” discussions directly with North Korea. If true--noting President Trump’s tendency towards hyperbole--this is an historic event. Such discussions would signal that the announced summit, set to occur in late May or June, could indeed take place.
WAND is acutely aware that if the upcoming summit doesn’t result in a successful deal, the U.S. could be on its way to war with North Korea.
These feats of diplomacy are integral to WAND’s mission of empowering women to act politically to reduce violence and militarism. It is crucial that President Trump includes qualified women in these discussions; research shows that when women are involved in negotiating peace agreements, the agreements are more enduring.
For that reason, WAND has sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging for the inclusion of women experts in the planning and realization of these negotiations. The letter includes a list of 13 well-qualified women for the vacant positions of Ambassador to South Korea and Special Envoy to North Korea and has been signed by WAND and 16 other organizations, ranging from Ploughshares Fund to the Union of Concerned Scientists to the National Organization for Women.
May 23rd, 2017
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
Trump Budget Harms Women, Lines Defense Contractors’ Pockets
May 23, 2017, Cambridge, MA/Washington, DC -- Statement of Megan Amundson, Women’s Action for New Directions Executive Director, on the Trump Administration Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request
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By dramatically cutting the social safety net and diplomacy to pay for the military, President Trump has made his priorities loud and clear: he supports defense contractors over the working class, weapons and war over diplomacy, a new generation of nuclear weapons over the next generation of people.
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The proposed budget would particularly impact women and their families, who rely on the social safety net for economic stability and security, and, in some cases, to break the cycle of poverty. Massive divestments from medicaid and supplemental nutrition assistance, the defunding of Planned Parenthood, cuts to education loan programs, and a paid family leave proposal that excludes too many from the system are just a few of the policies in this budget that directly target women in the United States. This budget would also cut diplomatic initiatives that promote women’s equality abroad, which research shows is one of the keys to national growth and stability.
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The tradeoff in this budget is women’s health and well-being for increased spending on the Pentagon, which received a $54 billion increase over the Budget Control Act caps. This budget continues the recent practice of stuffing the Pentagon coffers without requiring accountability. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney is justifying the slashed social safety net and diplomacy spending by saying that programs aren’t working. But he refuses to look into massive waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pentagon. For the last several decades, the Pentagon has spent over $60 billion dollars on canceled or failed weapons programs with virtually no consequences, for instance. Why isn’t the Trump Administration looking into what’s not working in these programs?
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WAND calls on Congress to reject the Trump budget proposal out of hand and work together to invest in programs that allow the American people the chance to pursue their dreams, escape poverty, save for their children’s education, and retire with dignity. They should fund diplomatic initiatives that fight extremism, increase women’s empowerment, and support children’s nutrition. This is not only the just thing to do; it builds stability abroad, which is in America’s national security interest. WAND urges Congress not to make any grand bargains that increases defense spending at the expense of women and families.
March 27th, 2017
Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Manager | | 202-459-4769
Statement: WAND Supports Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty Negotiations at the United Nations
Women’s Action for New Directions Executive Director, Megan Amundson, sent the following statement regarding the Nuclear Ban Treaty negotiations, which will take place in two sessions at the United Nations in 2017; one beginning today and going through the week to draft the treaty and the other from June to July over a three week period to negotiate the treaty.
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“Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND), which was founded as a women’s nuclear disarmament organization, supports the effort at the United Nations to make nuclear weapons illegal under international law. The militarization of U.S. foreign policy -- including the reliance on nuclear weapons that would indiscriminately kill civilians -- is unacceptable. These policies have created conditions at home where, for example, politicians have consistently provided the Pentagon over half of all monies appropriated by Congress each year while shortchanging investments in social safety net programs and diplomacy. Moreover, the secrecy and undemocratic nature of nuclear weapons have undoubtedly contributed to a society in which questioning the use of the military and weapons of war is seen as unpatriotic.
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“While the nuclear weapons-possessing states continue to cling to their weapons of mass destruction, WAND stands with the nuclear have-nots who are unwilling to wait for incremental progress. It is not quite enough for the United States to claim progress on reducing the numbers of weapons since the Cold War peak given that it and the other nuclear-armed states are investing anew in their nuclear arsenals. For its part, the United States will spend $1 trillion dollars over thirty years to sustain and rebuild a nuclear arsenal that the military says exceeds security requirements.
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“As an organization that works within a nuclear weapons-state, we have a duty to support all efforts to delegitimize nuclear weapons and expose their dangers to the public to ensure that they are never used again. We are greatly disappointed that the United States refuses to attend the nuclear ban treaty negotiations, stating that the idea was ‘unrealistic.’ Most efforts worth pursuing start out as unrealistic - until people sit at the table and negotiate.”
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