How we started

On October 9, 1991, we began a permanent, public, non-violent protest against war, against the nationalistic and militant regime in Serbia, ethnic cleansing and all forms of discrimination.

We hold vigils dressed in black. We wear black as a sign of mourning for all war victims and all forms of violence. It is a warning that the threat of war is not yet over and that it will persist as long as a militaristic frame of mind dominates. We have organized 400 protests so far.

Why we protested

Because of:

With our protests we have tried to:

Simultaneously with protests, we organized an alternative form of education in the streets by distributing leaflets, bulletins, presenting petitions for initiatives, and occasional performances. Such actions were particularly focused on important dates for the international peace and feminist movement such as:

During September 2000, we organized and coordinated the campaign, "I reject war!"

This campaign was done in conjunction with the SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence from Nikšic and with the active participation of dozens of activist groups from Serbia and Montenegro. The regime, that we consider to be the most responsible for the past ten years of wars and crimes against civilians, was crushed on October 5, 2000. However, a culture of violence, nationalism and militarism has not disappeared from our society. That is why we continue our vigils, organize petitions for granting the right to conscientious objection and we shall continue our actions toward reaffirming the principles of antimilitarism, feminism and non-violence.

(Alternative women’s politics)

From the very beginning, we also engaged in other activities:

With the support and solidarity of our friends from all over the world, we initiated the International Network of Women’s Solidarity against War (International Network of Women in Black). Since July 1992, we have organized eight international conferences (in Novi Sad, Tresnjevac, Subotica and Ulcinj and, together with Women in Black from Italy, in Brussels in October 2000). This network brings together women from all the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Our conferences promote women’s solidarity above every state, ethnic, racial and religious boundaries and divisions, thus encouraging the creation of multicultural peace coalitions, the participation of women in non-violent resolution of conflicts and linking the ideals of feminism and antimilitarism.

Within the framework of promoting women’s alternative politics, we have participated at international conferences in the UN (sessions in New York and Geneva), in the European Parliament and at the World Exhibition EXPO in Hanover. We see it as another way of changing the sense, the meaning, and the contents of politics and policy-making.

PUBLISHING ACTIVITIES

(Alternative women’s history)

We have published seven compilations entitled "Women for Peace" in the local languages, English, Italian and Spanish. Each of them contains about 300 pages. By attributing value to women’s feelings, testimonies and anti-war, antimilitaristic and antinationalistic attitudes and by broadening the space of women’s autonomy, these compilations promote a pluralism of History and respect for the Other and Different as opposed to the official, patriarchal and militaristic history.

We developed our publishing activities owing to the solidarity and support of our friends from Italy and many other European and non-European countries.

In addition to the compilation, we have published several books and other publications:

ANTIMILITARISM AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION

We have started a network of conscientious objectors in Serbia and Montenegro. In 2000, the Network held several meetings in Studenica near Kraljevo and Vucje near Nikšic, organized a number of campaigns (massive campaigns for the acknowledgment and promotion of conscientious objection were held in May 2000 in more than 20 towns in Serbia and Montenegro, and in December 2000 and January 2001 in more than 30 towns in Serbia.) Their activities are regularly reported in the bulletin "Prigovor" (Objection). So far, Women in Black has published seven issues of this bulletin.

The members of the Network hold regular meetings in our premises, and also in other places all over the country.

Peace and antimilitaristic networks from Spain, Germany and Great Britain particularly support our antimilitaristic activities.

TRAVELING WOMEN’S PEACE WORKSHOPS

With the support of the German peace foundation Heinrich Boell-Stiftung, since the beginning of 1998, Women in Black has been implementing a four-year educational project "Traveling Women’s Peace Workshops", in four towns in Serbia and Montenegro (Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Novi Sad, Novi Pazar and Nikšic). So far, we have held four cycles: "Women are Changing Women", "Women’s Rights are Human Rights", "Interethnic and Intercultural Solidarity", and "Women and Power". This educational project intends to encourage the development of civilian society, self-organizing of women and women’s autonomy and to create intercultural women’s networks and coalitions for peace.

SUPPORT TO THE VICTIMS OF OPPRESSION

From 1993 until 1997, we gave organized support and assistance to the refugees in collective centers in Serbia and also to persons disabled by war. Since 1997, we also support refugees from Krajina and Kosovo, along with other groups from various parts of Serbia.

In 1999 and 2000, we made special efforts to observe trials of victims of the political and ethnic aggression conducted by the former regime. By attending such trials and informing the international public about that form of oppression against citizens of Albanian and Serbian nationality, we gave solid support to the victims of terror over political opponents and enemies of the regime then in power.

BRIDGES OF PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN THE BALKANS

This form of "overcoming barriers" and resistance to all kinds of ethnic homogenization and totalitarianism in the countries of ex-Yugoslavia has been at work since November 1999, owing to the solidarity and support of Norwegian pacifists. We have organized 12 panel discussions and three workshops in various towns in Serbia (Kragujevac, Leskovac, Novi Sad and Nis). Peace activists from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro also participated.

IN ADDITION TO THIS…

We organize our own workshops and we are constantly in touch with peace groups and organizations for the protection of human rights from all over Serbia, Montenegro and all the countries of ex-Yugoslavia. We often organize joint actions, workshops, informal gatherings. We develop networks of friendship and mutual support. In short, we are trying to practice the same policy of peace and solidarity in our everyday lives.

Belgrade, January 2001.