S.O.S. – Support Our Sisters: No Peace Without Women

Under the banner “S.O.S. – Support Our Sisters,” the campaign raised awareness of the devastating impact of war and conflict on women and girls, while calling for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Across the Netherlands, 12 Soroptimist Clubs organised eight local gatherings, bringing together around 230 participants: SI De Bilt-Bilthoven, SI Young Soroptimist Amsterdam, SI Scheveningen, SI Leiden Aurora, SI Zwolle, SI Amsterdam Centrum/West, SI Apeldoorn, SI Amersfoort, SI Amsterdam Amstel, SI Leiden, SI Gouda and SI Amsterdam Zuid/Amstelveen.

The Soroptimists stood in silence for peace and human dignity. The gatherings also included poetry readings, guest speakers and conversations with women who had fled war, creating opportunities for dialogue and reflection around a powerful message: there is no peace without women.

The campaign drew attention to the particular impact of conflict on women and girls, from displacement and lack of access to healthcare and basic necessities to conflict-related sexual violence. At the same time, women remain underrepresented in the decisions and negotiations that shape peace and security.

Through the initiative, the Dutch Soroptimists called on the governments of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Suriname, as well as the European Union, to actively support women’s participation in peace and security decision-making and to fully implement Resolution 1325. This landmark resolution recognises both the need to protect women in conflict and their essential role in building sustainable peace.