ROME (AP).— Thousands of protesters took to the streets yesterday in 7 Italian cities to demand an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, Ukraine and all world conflicts.
Peaceful rallies were held in Rome, Turin, Milan, Florence, Bari, Palermo and Cagliari, with the support of hundreds of associations committed to peace, disarmament and human rights.
The marches are a response to escalating violence in the Middle East and growing conflicts around the world, and denounce the diminishing role of the United Nations on the world stage.
In Rome, several thousand protesters marched waving a giant rainbow flag in front of the Colosseum, and a sign with the slogan, “Stop the wars. The time for peace is now!”
“The war in Ukraine has been going on for two years and what is the result? Nothing… There are only Ukrainians and Russians who have died, many soldiers and many children,” said Daniela Ferraci, who demonstrated in the Italian capital. “The same thing happens in Gaza, in Israel, in Lebanon.”
Giulio Marcon, organizer of the demonstration in Rome, noted that “wars never solve problems.”
Girls and women
Just yesterday, senior United Nations officials warned that more than 600 million women and girls are affected by wars, 50% more than a decade ago, and they fear that the world has forgotten about them in the midst of a growing offensive. against their rights and gender equality.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a new report that, in the face of record levels of armed conflict and violence, the gains made by women over decades are disappearing and “generational achievements in women’s rights are pending.” of a thread throughout the world.”
Requirement
Guterres assessed the status of the resolution adopted on October 31, 2000 by the Security Council that demands equal participation of women in peace negotiations, a goal that remains as distant as gender equality.
Current data and findings show that “the transformative potential of women’s leadership and inclusion in the pursuit of peace” is being undermined, with power and decision-making around peace in addition to security issues , overwhelmingly in the hands of men, he added.
“As long as oppressive patriarchal social structures and gender prejudices continue to hold back half of our societies, peace will remain elusive,” he warned.
According to the report, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year; UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence increased by 50% and the number of girls affected by grave rape in conflict increased by 35%.
Little attention
At a two-day Security Council meeting on this issue that ended the day before yesterday, Sima Bahous, director of UN Women, the agency charged with promoting gender equality, also noted the lack of attention given to women’s voices in the search for peace.
Sima Bahous spoke of the fears of millions of women and girls deprived of an education and a future in Afghanistan, of those displaced in Gaza “waiting for death”, of those in Sudan who are victims of sexual violence and of the vanished hopes of those of Myanmar, Haiti, Congo, the African Sahel, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine or Yemen, among other places.
According to Sima, 612 million women and girls affected by war “wonder if the world has already forgotten them, if they have fallen off the agenda of an international community overwhelmed by increasingly frequent, serious and urgent crises.”
Related
#Cry #world #peace
**Interview with Giulio Marcon, Organizer of the Recent Peace Protests in Italy**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Giulio. Yesterday, thousands of Italians protested in major cities for an immediate ceasefire in conflicts around the world. What inspired these protests?
**Giulio Marcon:** Thank you for having me. The protests were fueled by mounting frustration over ongoing wars, particularly the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine. People are tired of violence, and we wanted to send a clear message: it’s time to prioritize peace over conflict. We are also witnessing a diminishing role of the United Nations, which has failed to effectively address many of these crises.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned the role of the UN. Can you elaborate on why you think it’s become less effective?
**Giulio Marcon:** The UN was established to foster peace and security, but currently, its influence seems to be waning. With various nations pursuing their own agendas, the collective goal of maintaining peace often gets sidelined. Our protests aimed to highlight the need for stronger international cooperation and a renewed commitment to the principles of diplomacy and dialogue.
**Interviewer:** I saw that the protests featured powerful imagery, like the giant rainbow flag in Rome. Why was this significant?
**Giulio Marcon:** The rainbow flag symbolizes peace, unity, and the fight for human rights. By including such symbols, we aimed to draw attention not only to the conflicts but also to the broader struggles for justice and equality. It’s essential to recognize that war affects everyone, particularly vulnerable groups like women and children.
**Interviewer:** Speaking of vulnerable groups, UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently reported that over 600 million women and girls are affected by wars. How do you see their situation tied to the protests?
**Giulio Marcon:** Absolutely. The situation of women and girls in conflict zones is critical and often overlooked. Our protests aimed to elevate their voices and experiences. As we’ve seen, wars exacerbate existing inequalities, and it’s crucial that any conversation about peace also centers on gender equity and women’s roles in peacebuilding efforts.
**Interviewer:** With the crackdown on protests and growing concerns about civil liberties in Italy, how do you foresee the future of activism in the country?
**Giulio Marcon:** It’s a worrying time for civil liberties. While there’s increasing repression, we believe that grassroots movements will continue to shine a spotlight on these issues. Solidarity and collective action are powerful tools, and we’re committed to using them, regardless of the challenges. We must remain vigilant and advocate for our right to protest peacefully.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Giulio, for sharing your insights and for your efforts in advocating for peace. We look forward to seeing how these protests will impact public discourse.
**Giulio Marcon:** Thank you for having me. Let’s hope for a future where dialogue prevails over violence.
