Women and marginalized communities demand end to violence, call for peace

By A Representative 

On International Women’s Day, the Indian women’s and gender‑diverse people’s platform Together for Tranquillity hosted a global virtual gathering titled Voices Against War on March 14. The event brought together 14 speakers from across the world, including women from war‑torn regions, peace advocates, journalists, academics, grassroots leaders, human‑rights defenders, LGBTQIA leaders, and disability activists. More than 150 participants joined to stand collectively against war, violence, and genocide.

Launched online in November 2025, Together for Tranquillity has united over 350 activists, organizations, and community groups across India, forming a “rainbow coalition” of women, LGBTQIA+ persons, persons with disabilities, Dalits, Adivasis, youth leaders, and marginalized communities committed to peace, justice, dignity, and non‑violence. Speakers at the March 14 gathering came from Bangladesh, Brazil, Switzerland, the Caribbean, Jamaica, India, Pakistan, Palestine, Ukraine, Kenya, the Kurdish region, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and diaspora communities.

The event created a space for women to share firsthand experiences of war, occupation, displacement, religious persecution, militarisation, political violence, and domestic violence, while contributing wisdom shaped by survival and resilience. Speakers highlighted that women and children bear the highest cost of conflict, yet women are not only survivors but leaders of peace. They underscored how patriarchy, militarism, and inequality drive global violence, and called for global solidarity beyond governments, rooted in communities and civil society.

Among the highlights, Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty from India warned of geopolitical shifts affecting women and minorities in conflict zones. Pakistan’s Fiza Hussain described layered violence faced by women from religious minorities who nonetheless lead reforms and advocacy. Amal Wahdan from Palestine recounted generations of women resisting occupation and apartheid structures. Anna Burdeina from Ukraine spoke of Roma communities enduring persecution despite never waging war. Dee Woods from the Caribbean/UK offered a “Declaration for Life, Sovereignty and Peace,” while Malaysia’s Rozana Isa cautioned against rising intolerance and shrinking civic spaces.

The platform issued a collective statement declaring: “We say no to war, violence and genocide.” It affirmed that humanity cannot rely on systems driven by patriarchy, militarism, predatory capitalism, and domination, noting that international humanitarian law is consistently violated and the UNSDG 2030 agenda remains far from reach. The statement emphasized that in every conflict, marginalized communities bear the heaviest cost, and rejected the normalization of suffering. It called for accountability from leaders and institutions, insisting that food and water must never be weaponized and women’s bodies must never be treated as battlegrounds.

The gathering urged the creation of an international women’s league inclusive of gender‑diverse people, reviving the spirit of the International Democratic Women’s Federation. It also called for genuine reform of the United Nations and its institutions, with just representation of women in all bodies, including the position of Secretary‑General. Closing with a unified message, participants declared: “Peace is not the silence of fear — Peace is the courage to defend humanity.”