| Posted: May 18 2005,19:02 |
If you wrote this report, you will find a button here that you may click
in order to make changes in the report. 
|
PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
In
spite of international and national political obstacles to achieving
peace on the Korean peninsula and in society, however, circumstances
have gradually changed. The Sunshine policy has produced
remarkable results in the exchange of people and resources between the
North and the South, including the summit between the two Korean
leaders in 2000 and Gaeseong industrial complex, an inter-Korean
economic cooperation project. Furthermore, exchange activities among
CSO have expanded in the past 10 years through humanitarian assistance
projects and cultural events.
|
OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
|
Military
confrontation between the North and the South is as it has been for
more than five decades following the Korean War. Militarism is strong
on both sides due to the mandatory draft system and the presence of US
military bases throughout the South. Internationally, the recent
conflict between North Korea and the USA over the nuclear issue is also
threatening the safety of the peninsula. In the South, the rapid
improvement of economy has created issues that have caused social
conflicts such as antagonism between employer and employee, a top-down
approach of government in the public decision making process, and a
competitive culture in business and education.
In this
time of transition, cultivating a culture of peace in Korea is needed
to overcome 50 years of heated confrontation, and to move toward a
peaceful future in Northeast Asia. However, there is a very
limited understanding of what it means to have a culture of peace. The
attempts to establish substantial peace education to cultivate this
culture of peace nationwide has also been limited. It is clear that
much more effort should be put into the peace education field in order
to transform the culture of violence in Korea and the Northeast Asia
region.
|
ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
|
Women
Making Peace (WMP), founded in 1997, is a specialized organization
formed to realize the reunification of, and peace on, the Korean
peninsula and to create hope for peace in Asia and the world. WMP
conducts necessary research on the infrastructure and methods needed
for the peaceful reunification of Korea in order to present their
findings to the government, particularly from a feminist perspective.
WMP tries to promote tolerance and peace of mind as
general values in the Korean society to promote citizens' peacemaking
skills, and to cultivate a life-centered culture of peace for a better
world. WMP carries out concrete actions to improve the social
environment for reunification and peace on the Korean peninsula.
In addition, WMP tries to facilitate the equal participation of
women in the settlement of conflicts and disputes and tries to promote
women's leadership in peacemaking at home and abroad.
* School Violence Prevention
Peace
education for preventing school violence and cultivating the culture of
peace in schools focuses on providing elementary and high school
students with methods for solving conflicts in a peaceful and
constructive manner. Besides conflict resolution skills, students
also explore various peace topics including human rights, anger
management, non-violent communication skills, gender equality,
tolerance and reconciliation for the future Korea by overcoming
prejudice.
* Conflict Resolution Training Program
Conflict
resolution training program for trainers & facilitators is a
training program for future trainers and facilitators in the conflict
resolution and peace education field. After completing 15
sessions, participants can be involved in co-facilitating conflict
resolution workshops at schools and other functions.
* Conflict
Resolution Workshop for Local NGOs Conflict resolution capacity
building workshops for local NGOs provide an opportunity for local NGOs
to obtain a general understanding of conflict resolution and its
application in strengthening the local capacity to deal with local
conflicts such as disputes over environment, public policy-making, and
conflicts based on interest among local people.
|
ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
|
PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
|
PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
|
Postal address of organization
|
Women Making Peace(WMP)
4th floor The Women's House of peace,
38-84 Jangchoong-Dong1ga, Joong-Ku,
Seoul, 100-391, Korea
|
E-mail address of organization
|
wmp@peacewomen.or.kr
|
Website address of organization
|
http://www.peacewomen.or.kr
|
Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
|
|
Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
|
|
Highest priority country of action (or international)
|
|
Second priority country of action (or international)
|
|
| Back to top |
|
