How could social networking online promote real advocacy work to advance UNSCR 1325 in Asia? And how could young women be enticed to explore the convergence of their peace building advocacy and the use of social media tools?

Participants and organisers of the ‘Linking the Networks – Enhancing Social Media Strategies to Advance UNSCR 1325 in Asia – A Grass Roots Initiative’ project will ponder on these concepts at the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) parallel NGO event entitled ‘Social Media and Engaging Young Women with UNSCR1325 in Asia.’ This will be held on March 10, 2014 at 10:30am in the Y-Hall of the Armenian Convention Center (630 2nd Ave, NY, NY).

The ‘Linking the Networks’ project was spearheaded by the Australia-based Justice Equality Rights Access (JERA) International in partnership with Isis International and Asia Pacific Women’s Watch as regional partners. Starting as an Activist School workshop/training conducted in Manila, Philippines last October 2013, participants working on peace building processes in Asia came together and discussed how to further their advocacy work on advancing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which primarily requires parties in a conflict to respect women’s rights and also to support women’s participation in all kinds of peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. Advocates from Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Sri Lanka gathered to share strategies, network, and learn how to use various social media tools. Linking The Networks project was supported by Australian Aid.

This panel will enable the Activist School trainers and participants to share their insights on using online social media tools for their advocacy work, hopefully to contribute to furthering UNSCR 1325 in their respective countries, especially those that have no National Action Plans yet. They will share pertinent research data which came out of the training and also present a special video documentary that came out of the efforts done in this partnership project.

Luz Martinez, Past Chair of the Board of Trustees of Isis International, will serve as the panel moderator. The speakers who will participate are the following:

Carole Shaw, CEO of JERA International and Isis General Member

Sepali Kottegoda, Chairperson of Asia Pacific Women's Watch

Rahmi Dian Agustino, advocate from Search for Common Ground in Indonesia

Nicole Hutchison, Activist School Coordinator of Isis International

Aside from the research report, a video documentary entitled ‘Status Update: Women, Conflict and Social Media’ will also be screened in this event. The short documentary will showcase the Linking The Networks project, presenting the various views of the young women who participated in the training. They will be sharing their opinions on their UNSCR1325 work.

Invited guests and audience members are encouraged to participate in the discussions or follow it via social media. Please use the official hash tags of the Linking The Networks projects #1325socmed and follow the discussions to be livetweeted via the Isis International Twitter account @IsisIntl. Highlights of the panel will also be posted at the Isis Facebook page.