A well attended meeting at Street heard Rhiannon Redpath speak about her recent experience of the Quaker Peace Worker Programme. She began by describing the enriching experience of Junior Yearly Meeting in 2008, where she made friends and shared spiritual experiences that would carry her into a commitment to peace work that has transformed her life and linked her to a worldwide community. The experience also stimulated her attendance at subsequent YMs, where she has been able to work with young Quakers and deepen her experience of the Society.
Though it has existed for 20 years and has enabled 47 Friends to become peace workers, the scheme is not widely known. Its aim is to support both individuals and organisations, and offers the workers an opportunity to help an organisation with modest resources where an extra person will make a real difference. It operates at three levels: international, where a volunteer may work in Geneva or Brussels; the UK, where an activist may be placed with a small NGO; an overseas local group, this last year in Burundi.
Rhiannon herself has worked for Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS UK), and she illustrated the kind of issue with which she constantly wrestles by getting all those present to react physically (by moving across the room to a “no” or “yes” area) to a series of questions which she threw out: can there be peace without the involvement of women? Should the military speak in schools? Should you ever negotiate with violent terrorists? Reactions were markedly different, and stimulated lively discussions as Friends justified their stance.
Rhiannon has worked on women, peace and security. She asked us to enumerate how women were affected by war and described the UN resolution of 13 October 2000 recognising the needs of women in war situations, including the prevention of violence and the upholding of women’s rights and gender perspectives in peace processes.
Rhiannon’s NGO speaks for many organisations, including Oxfam, Care, Actionaid, Amnesty, and it liaises with DFID and other government organisations. She described the pleasure of watching an Afghan woman telling the UK Secretary of State for International Development how her department’s strategies took no recognition of the realities of life in Afghanistan. This was one of the many opportunities which are given to activists from troubled areas to travel and make contact with appropriate decision-makers. Among Rhiannon’s varied activities is the No Women No Peace campaign aimed at mobilising public opinion to influence parliament.
Rhiannon is hoping to continue part-time with GAP and also to continue with an organisation working on peace and security among women under Muslim laws. She spoke warmly of the huge support given to her by Friends, especially when she was under pressure, and of the excellent organisation of the programme which enables incoming volunteers to meet the outgoing ones, giving all the workers regular opportunities to meet, share and deepen their spiritual experiences.
Mavis and Roger Iredale
Mid Somerset Area Meeting
Though it has existed for 20 years and has enabled 47 Friends to become peace workers, the scheme is not widely known. Its aim is to support both individuals and organisations, and offers the workers an opportunity to help an organisation with modest resources where an extra person will make a real difference. It operates at three levels: international, where a volunteer may work in Geneva or Brussels; the UK, where an activist may be placed with a small NGO; an overseas local group, this last year in Burundi.
Rhiannon herself has worked for Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS UK), and she illustrated the kind of issue with which she constantly wrestles by getting all those present to react physically (by moving across the room to a “no” or “yes” area) to a series of questions which she threw out: can there be peace without the involvement of women? Should the military speak in schools? Should you ever negotiate with violent terrorists? Reactions were markedly different, and stimulated lively discussions as Friends justified their stance.
Rhiannon has worked on women, peace and security. She asked us to enumerate how women were affected by war and described the UN resolution of 13 October 2000 recognising the needs of women in war situations, including the prevention of violence and the upholding of women’s rights and gender perspectives in peace processes.
Rhiannon’s NGO speaks for many organisations, including Oxfam, Care, Actionaid, Amnesty, and it liaises with DFID and other government organisations. She described the pleasure of watching an Afghan woman telling the UK Secretary of State for International Development how her department’s strategies took no recognition of the realities of life in Afghanistan. This was one of the many opportunities which are given to activists from troubled areas to travel and make contact with appropriate decision-makers. Among Rhiannon’s varied activities is the No Women No Peace campaign aimed at mobilising public opinion to influence parliament.
Rhiannon is hoping to continue part-time with GAP and also to continue with an organisation working on peace and security among women under Muslim laws. She spoke warmly of the huge support given to her by Friends, especially when she was under pressure, and of the excellent organisation of the programme which enables incoming volunteers to meet the outgoing ones, giving all the workers regular opportunities to meet, share and deepen their spiritual experiences.
Mavis and Roger Iredale
Mid Somerset Area Meeting
