Wednesday 25th June the Libyan Human Rights activist Salwa Bugaighis was murdered in her house after she had cast her vote, and her husband was abducted. She was one of the contacts of the INGO Working group “Including Gender perspectives in political and democratic processes” at the Council of Europe, which is chaired by Anje Wiersinga, IAW Representative.
Salwa Bugaighis was involved in the overthrow of Gaddafi. She launched the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace after she resigned from the National Transition Council accusing it of ignoring female members. She was a prominent member of a new Commission that aims to solve the problem of the present political differences.
This shocking murder happened one day after the INGO Conference Round Table on Genderperspectives – Security – Peace held at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. One of the speakers was the Syrian Human Rights activist Mouna Ghanem, Coordinator of the Syrian Women’s Platform for Peace, who tries to bring parties in Syria together, to make them stop fighting with weapons and start discussing their differences.
In spite of receiving death threats these courageous women choose to remain in their countries and fight for peace, and some pay the highest price. The International Alliance of Women strongly condemns the targeting of these human rights activists, we admire their courage, and we will continue to support them.
30 Juni 2014
Anje Wiersinga
Representative International Alliance of Women at the Council of Europe
