Celebrating Feminists’ Voices, Inspiring Global Peace

Women's Rights Represented through Art #Bagabag

18 February 2014

Russia is in the news with the Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi but it is important to remember the impact of Russian government policies on free speech and women’s rights. A new canvas bag featuring Pussy Riot puts the spotlight on women’s right all over the world.

Supporting women’s rights and WILPF by buying a canvas bag

Axisweb, a website dedicated to the growth of the art community in the United Kingdom, have released a limited edition canvas bag supporting women’s rights. The bag boasts a profile of one the members of the Pussy Riot band arrested in Russia almost two years ago. £2 from every bag sold is donated to WILPF United Kingdom.

WILPF International interviewed Annie Nelson, the Audience Development Coordinator of the art community website Axisweb and a long-standing member of WILPF United Kingdom about the release of the bag.

WILPF: What were your intentions behind attaching a piece of art to a canvas bag? Also, what do you think this bag will achieve in regards to raising the awareness of women’s rights?

Annie: Every year we produce a limited edition bag to promote the work of a member from our directory. We aim to give artists, curators and art professionals a versatile and influential platform for presenting their practice. Our commitment to strengthening the contribution of the visual arts to society influences our campaign decisions. With the Winter Olympics currently taking place in Russia and Manifesta 10, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, set to open in the summer of 2014 at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, there is a huge amount of discussion around the abuse of human rights in Russia. The debates surrounding these events provide a platform to push conversation about equality. We like Wendy Saunders’ portraits of the Pussy Riot protestors. Using this image on the bag gave us a great way to support one of our artists, as well as to promote and support equality and women’s rights.

WILPF: You have decided to donate £2 from every bag sold to WILPF, why? 

Annie: The bags themselves are part of the campaign to both promote the work of a British contemporary artist, alongside building awareness and sparking debate around issues of free speech, women’s rights and equality. The bags are a great way of creating excitement and provoking debate, both on digital platforms and out on the streets… Connecting with WILPF on this campaign and making a donation of £2 from the sale of every bag not only ensures that we can offer a small amount of financial support towards a great organisation, but it also brings together two very different audiences. In doing this, we stimulate debate and hopefully reach out further than either organisation could on its own. 

WILPF: How many bags have you sold so far?

Annie: So far we have sold a total of 55 bags. The response has been very exciting and, as the campaign builds, we hope to reach all corners of the globe. It would be great if bags around the world were filled with groceries, books, swimming kits and proudly proclaiming our support of women’s rights. 

WILPF: As a member of the WILPF United Kingdom, what initially drew you to WILPF?

Annie: I was initially drawn to WILPF by my mother and two inspirational members who lived next door to me as I grew up. As a young child I was in awe of their dedication, strength and belief in what was possible – something that will continue to influence me for the rest of my life.

If you’d like to support this cause and add a touch of style then get in early before they are sold out. You can do so on the Axisweb website and support international women’s rights.

Buy your bag today!

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Your donation isn’t just a financial transaction; it’s a step toward a more compassionate and equitable world. With your support, we’re poised to achieve lasting change that echoes through generations. Thank you!

Thank you!

Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.

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