TESTIMONIALS
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"Their report really gets the method of community conversations, because we know who exactly they are talking to. If it is a student, housewife, NGO worker, teacher etc. So one finds it easier to identify with the concerns of the people. They are not numbers, they are not unknown figures. What also comes out of this report is, the spirit of resistance. Women are not only suffering but they are acquiring the courage to stand up."
-I.A. Rehman, Chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and WRN Tribunal Preparatory Committee Member on the topic of the WRN Community Conversations Pakistan Report
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"It’s the thing that really strikes me in even just listening to the last half hour of presentations of the Women’s Regional Network, to see the binding, the bonding and the closeness of the Members how one thing just flows into other. 2014 is a very important year, every speaker has mentioned it. So what we talk about today, becomes even more significant in the context of what lies ahead. I would like to say that, I am really very impressed by the fact that this Network is so well thought out and now today we are going to get the quintessence of the issues. I think the governments need to hear the messages loud and clear."
-Dr. Syeda Hameed, Former Member, Planning Commission of India at the Launch of the WRN, Delhi, India
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“Our government is all set to work with Women's Regional Network. Please provide us an action plan so that we take concrete steps.”
-Former Chief Minister, Balochistan, Pakistan Abdul Malik Baloch
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"I would also like to thank the network to giving me the opportunity to help me release this report this is very exciting report, based on very interesting and exciting research being done, so thank you for the honour. The exercise of gathering this information and disseminating underlines the importance of this regional network, to address conflict violence and violence against women in Afghanistan India and Pakistan.
-Dr. Rebecca Tavares Representative, UN Women Multi-Country Office for India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives at WRN Launch, Delhi, India
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"This new WRN Tribunal Scoping Study Report inspires me to the depths of my soul. As is clear from the acknowledgements page, many are responsible, most particularly Patricia Cooper, for the end result of the report; however, your energy, intelligence and commitment propelled it. It is a hallmark study that will establish a benchmark for future studies. May I take a moment to thank you and everyone involved in the production of the WRN Tribunal Scoping Study Report for your competent work. You have each, individually and collectively, contributed an enormous amount of time, energy, effort and enthusiasm to create this important work, which communicate effectively critical issues, as well as lead the reader to critical knowledge. From my perspective, it is exciting and amazing to witness the progress of WRN. To me the report is a powerful new tool kit. As leaders and as stakeholders, we have all experienced being inspired and making commitments to attempt great strides on behalf of women. We’ve also experienced how the day-to-day challenges in our communities, our organizations and our personal lives that can diminish inspiration and dampen our precious dreams. As I read and re-read this important study, I am inspired to imagine what our world can be. I hope that you too will continue to imagine the very best world."
-Dr. Susanne Jalbert, CEO, Jalbert Consulting
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“This is a special kind of event for me. I've been at the institute (USIP) for about 7 years and about 6 years ago I met my colleague Pat Cooper who is the Founder and Convener of the Women’s Regional Network. We had lunch and she started telling me about this interesting idea she had, she wanted to see what I thought about it, if it could work, and I remember thinking ‘this is exactly what we need- regional approaches for women to come together and for them to learn from one another: their lessons and best practices'. And so it is an exceptional honor and pleasure today to be hosting this working group meeting for a discussion about the findings of this very profound, groundbreaking research that has gone on over the last year and a half. I think this is just the beginning of a very serious conversation that we want to keep going in this lessons learned working group and to stay in touch with the Women’s Regional Network. I hope you will take the time to look over what I think is an exceptional study of where there is common ground in spite of very diverse countries and their approaches to violent conflict.”
-Kathleen Kuehnast, Director, Gender & Peacebuilding Center, United States Institute of Peace at the Women's Regional Network launch of the Regional Overview, Washington D.C., June, 2014
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Having watched the Women’s Regional Network grow from a glimmer of an idea in a luncheon gathering of women to see what they have accomplished has been an amazing thing. Nothing is ever easy but bringing women together across countries and cultures requires commitment, passion and wisdom which the women of WRN have demonstrated over and over. In face of such atrocities and despair, WRN provides hope and inspiration with their concrete actions by visionary women. I am proud to be a supporter.
-Cynda Collins Arsenault, President and Co-Founder, Secure World Foundation
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"I just read the report on your DC visits this past June. Kudos to you and the WRN representatives. It sounds like you all were a force of nature sweeping through the many important meetings and media events you crammed into a few days. I have reviewed the various recent publications you have produced and this is truly an impressive achievement, not just in the scope and quantity of work you have completed over the past several years, but especially in the quality of your work and importance of the outcomes. Please keep up the good work. What you are doing is meaningful and strategic both short and long term. Your ability to provide strategic advice, with the validation of your country reports and other research you have done and databases you have created, speaks to your strength.”
-Joan Hadden, Executive Director, TerraFocus Foundation
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“I really appreciate efforts of WRN. Such forums need to be organized in Pakistan in order to highlight the impact of warm, conflict and militarization on women. The Taliban movement is anti-woman and we would always raise our voice for the rights of women. Politicians should not ignore women while forming committees for holding talks with Taliban because women are the worst sufferers of terrorism. For durable peace in the country, it is necessary to include women representatives in the peace process.”
-Senator Hasil Bazenjo, Pakistan