Tbilisi, 21st September 2011 - women from across the entire South Caucasus region are marking the 30th International Day of Peace.

The day is being marked by CARE's partner organisations in the region, women's rights and human rights organisations working in conflict-affected areas on the Strengthening Women's Capacity for Peacebuilding in the South Caucasus project. To mark this date, CARE's regional partners are:

• IDP Women's Association 'Consent', is holding five concurrent children's drawing competitions on 21st September. The competitions will take place at 12pm in Vake Park, Tbilisi, and in four conflict-affected communities that Consent have been working with. Participating children will share their vision of peace, drawing with coloured chalk on the pavements in the various venues.
• The Association of Women of Abkhazia, will be running essay competitions among school children in four conflict-affected communities: the towns of Gali and Ochamchira and the villages of Baslahuba and Chuburkhindzh.
• The Armenian Committee of the Helsinki Citizen's Assembly will be marking the celebration on the weekend of 24th-25th September. On 24th September, local activists will open a school library in the village of Hachik. The event will be marked by a concert and a exhibition of drawings on the theme of peace. On 25th September there will be an opening of a town square in the city of Sisian, together with an exhibition of handicrafts and a concert.
• The Women's Problems Research Union of Azerbaijan will be holding a children's drawing competition in the city of Barda, the settlement of Zobujug and the compact displaced persons settlement of Pirshagi. In Pirshagi, the competition will also be accompanied by an exhibition of photographs on the topic of peace.
• The Centre for Civilian Initiatives is holding a round table on the theme of peace, which will include a showing of the film "To see if I was smiling". The film is on the subject of women in war. There will also be a discussion of two short stories by the writer Ashot Beglaryan.

In addition, in all of the target regions partner organisations will announce an essay competition for students of higher education establishments on the subject "How would the South Caucasus look if there was equality between men and women?" The winner of the competition will be announced on 31st October, which marks the 11th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security. The Resolution calls for greater inclusion of women in the prevention of conflicts, in post-conflict planning and reconstruction and for greater protection of women conflict and post-conflict settings.

Strengthening Women's Capacity for Peacebuilding in the South Caucasus is funded by the European Union with funding from Austrian Development Cooperation

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IDP Women's Association Consent works with displaced persons across Georgia and advocates for the rights of the displaced.

For information on the work of Consent, please visit: www.idpwa.org.ge

UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1325

The Security Council adopted resolution (S/RES/1325) on women and peace and security on 31 October 2000. The resolution reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction and stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. Resolution 1325 urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts. It also calls on all parties to conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict. The resolution provides a number of important operational mandates, with implications for Member States and the entities of the United Nations system.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.

In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

For information on the International Day of Peace, please visit: www.internationaldayofpeace.org