On the evening of 14 September 2009 at Stadsteatern, Stockholm:

• Documentary play SEVEN

The play offers a glimpse into the lives of seven women leaders and women’s rights activists from Guatemala, Northern Ireland, Nigeria, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Cambodia who have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to achieve justice and freedom.

Previous International Democracy Day websites:

• 2008

Women and girls in crises - from victims of war to builders of peace (UNDP)

Promoting gender equality and women's empowerment is a top priority for UNDP's work all over the world, including in conflict-affected countries seeking to move from war and crises to peace and democracy. While the destructiveness of armed conflict impinges on the society as a whole, women and girls are the ones who suffer the most: as victims of sexual and gender-based violence, as citizens whose voice is silenced, as those who have to continue providing for their children even in the harshest conditions.

In 2007 UNDP launched an Eight Point Agenda in order to promote women's empowerment and gender equality in all work related to crises and conflicts. The Eight Point Agenda calls for an end to violence against women and for enhanced justice and security for women and girls. The agenda also aims at getting women more involved in decision-making and in peace processes -- making sure that women who suffered from war participate in the building of peace.

In this workshop you will learn more about the eight point agenda and what is being done around the world to enhance justice, security and peace - especially for women and girls. The work shop will be facilitated by Mr. Bjoern Foerde, Director of UNDP's Governance Centre in Oslo together with Dr Vanessa Farr, Senior Social Development and Gender Advisor at UNDP, currently working in the occupied Palestinian territories, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Dr. Vanessa Farr has published widely on women's experiences of violent conflict, including the demobilization, disarmament and reintegration of women combatants after war, the gendered impact of prolific small arms and light weapons and women's coalition-building in conflict-torn societies. In her time with the UN she has worked to advance SCR 1325 and the Eight Point Agenda on Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in Crisis Prevention and Recovery.

The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of International IDEA, Riksteatern, UNDP or Stockholm University.