DAWN parallel event at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women NGO Forum
“…This conversation was a powerful reminder that women on the frontlines are not just surviving; they are sustaining life, resisting, and producing vital political knowledge. Hearing the panellists’ voices was an urgent call to redefine justice through a feminist political economy lens and to dismantle militarised governance. What we really hope to achieve from this conversation is to rethink what we mean by survival in everyday life when it comes to women’s lives. These are the stories that people don’t often hear in the news or in the mass media. We heard about resistance, the importance of concepts like justice, and the importance of women’s solidarity in particular.” (Kholoud Al-Ajarma, Moderator and DAWN Executive Committee member)
“One key reflection is that this work should be developed collaboratively and expanded as widely as possible among women’s organisations. Strengthening cooperation and building broader connections between different groups can help amplify impact, share knowledge, and support stronger collective strategies.
“One thing that really stood out was the focus on alternative resistance. In times when formal legal and political systems are failing women, women’s organisations are creating alternative visions of justice and accountability to help cope with trauma and suffering in the present
Some reflections from our speakers
- Motherhood, survival, and redefining justice in Palestine’s context, by Nour Bader
“Justice is about changing the conditions that turn motherhood into a daily struggle against death.”
- Creative resistance and meaningful justice from Sri Lanka, by Sarala Emmanuel
“Our movement spaces need to be sustained and nourished with care and love… This important work is about saying we will not be isolated. Theatre and art are vital tools to challenge militarised governance when formal legal systems fail.”
- Women’s fundamental role in peace construction in Yemen, by Bilqees Al-Abdali
“Peace is not only built at negotiating tables: it is built in the details of daily life.”
- Systemic violence and the Sudan’s call for accountability, by Fahima Hashim
“It is very crucial for us now to engage women in all peace processes.”
SOURCE: DAWN Feminist, Email: 20 April 2026.