US WILPF's Standing Issue Committees

Advancing Human Rights/CEDAW - The WILPF Advancing Human Rights/CEDAW Committee is committed to promoting the values and principles of human rights as preeminent goals and standards of US laws, policies, and regulations, both foreign and domestic. To that end, we work in our states and local communities to advance the understanding and application of international human rights instruments, with special emphasis on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Works to ensure U.S. compliance and full domestic of international human rights instruments through advocacy at the international, national and local levels of government.

Contact:

Lucinda Tate lucinda.tate(at)standrewchurch.com Rose Daitsman daitsman(at)milwpc.com

Building the Beloved Community - The goal of the BUILDING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY INITIATIVE is to work toward racial, economic, gender justice and peace with economic and political democracy. The focus seeks to address the inequities based on capitalist corporate power, war, and systemic institutionalized oppression.
Provides educational information about the history and nature of systemic racism, connections between oppressions, internalized oppressions, racial justice, and the struggles for racial justice.

Contact: Sha'an Mouliert: mouliert(at)vlink.net
Tura Campanella Cook: turacc(at)earthlink.net
(Contact them for information and the name of a new committee facilitator. Sha'an is now developing workshops on white privilege for WELPF branches around the country.)

Corporations v. Democracy - The Challenge Corporate Power, Assert the People's Rights Campaign is dedicated to understanding how corporations use their illegitimate constitutional “rights” and powers to define our law, politics, jurisprudence, work, technologies, food, communities... you name it! The Campaign does this through learning and helping others to learn how we got into this mess through the discovery and study of hidden histories with an eye toward rethinking WILPF activism by placing it in the context of people’s right to self and mutual governance and uncovering the meaning of real (radical) democracy along with developing its skills and practice.
Exposes the dangers of corporate personhood, provides an updated study guide and promotes action to end corporate domination of local communities when in conflict with human political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights.

Contact: Nancy Abbey (Santa Cruz, CA) (831)465-8272 nabbey(at)cruzio.com

Disarm - Dismantling the War Economy Campaign has four components: MilCORP ConneXion to expose the military-industrial complex and work for a peace economy; ABOLITION aiming to abolish nuclear weapons, all weapons of mass destruction, and war itself; Eye on Congress to track your own Senators and Representatives and inform them on disarmament and military budget issues using our weekly alerts; and the PEACE POLICY and Listening Project to "listen to the people for a change, and help them express their ideas on best ways to achieve the peaceful world we all desire".
Works for the abolition of nuclear weapons and war itself, and for a peace economy promoting human security and
human rights for all.

Contact: Claire Gosselin: clagos(at)verizon.net

Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance - Since becoming a campaign, our organizing efforts and leadership structure have continued to grow and evolve. WILPF plays an integral role as a member of the Women and Cuba Collaboration, a national project comprised of three organizations: the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, the EveryWoman's Movement for Cuba/LELO and Hermanas. The Collaborations' vision is to build a multi-racial, multi-cultural network of women formed to end the blockade of Cuba and, through this work, contribute to building a women's movement for racial and economic justice in the U.S. We also collaborate on a variety of educational and awareness-raising activities around organizing to end the U.S. Blockade through legislation, the Free the Five Campaign, and the US-Cuba Sister Cities Association.
Works to normalize relations between Cuba and U.S. governments and to educate people on the reality of Cuban society, especially in the area of gains made for women and children under the Cuban revolution.

Contact: Cindy Domingo: cindydomingo(at)gmail.com

End Wars - Works to end the war and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, and oppose any invasion or bombing of Iran.

Contact: Marge Van Cleef: margevc(at)cavtel.net, (267) 763-1644
Yoshiko Ikuta: Ylkuta(at)aol.com, (216) 521-7057

Pan-Africa and Diaspora Women's Issues (inactive, seeking new leadership)- Provides a forum for ALL women of Africa and the various diasporas to inform the U.S. Section of WILPF of their issues, and to make the Pan-Africa & Diaspora Women's issues an intrinsic part of WILPF U.S. and International program/agenda/initiatives.

Contact: Paij Wadley-Bailey: pwadleybailey(at)aol.com

Earth Democracy (previously "Save the Water")- WILPF joins the larger "right to water" and water justice movement, with many other local, national and international groups (including other WILPF sections), all working to keep water services under local democratic control, to stop the commoditization of water for profit, to create healthy communities by working to end water pollution, and to advocate that water be held in the public trust as a commons to be protected for people and nature for all time.

Contact: Nancy Price: nancytprice39(at)gmail.com, (530) 758-0726
Linda Park: veggiepark(at)sbcglobal.net, (216) 851-0968

Middle East Action Committee (formerly Women Challenge U.S. Policy in the Middle East - WCUSP) - Focuses especially on resolving the conflict between Israel and Palestine and has produced a WCUSP Feminist Action guide to Challenging U.S. Policy in the Nliddle East. This is a 165 page tool with original source material, articles, maps and steps to take action.

Contact: Odile Hugonot Haber: odilehh(at)gmail.com
Barbara Taft: beejayssite(at)yahoo.com, (480) 380 6325