In 2010 during the Death and Diversity project at the Wellington City and Sea sponsored by the Police, the mortuary association and the Human Rights Commission, different ethnic groups in Wellington worked together for 8 months to put on an exhibit and a live play about the rituals of different religions and cultures when someone dies.
Influenced by the project and touched by the deaths due to violence seen regularly on the news, Syerina Syahrin, Belinda Liu, Matilde Tayawa Figuracion and Samitha Nair remarked how men mostly caused the war and violence in the world and done nothing to stop it and that women and children had suffered the most.
Spurred on by the former Race Relations Commissioner, Joris de Bres, the group of women decided to set up WWW4Peace (Wellington Women Walk for Peace).
The first act was to rededicate their efforts to support the aims set forth during the UNESCO 1995 Beijing forth conference of women to work towards a culture of peace.
Each year since 2010, the group has marked the UN International Day of Women through organising concerts, peace walks, plays, silent auctions and attended other likeminded organisations events.
Over the years it has being supported by many organisations and well-known individuals who have collaborated with WWW4P and/or endorsed it.
In 2014 WWW4P changed its name to Women Walk and Work for Peace as the group wanted to expand on a national level.
In 2017 WWW4P made a commitment to extend its activities beyond the 8th of March (International Day of Women) to explore collaborating with more organisations in promoting gender equality and peace in Aotearoa-New Zealand on a regular basis.
WWW4Peace
Women Walk and Work for Peace
“Equality, Development and Peace are inextricably linked. There can be no lasting peace without development and no sustainable development without full equality between men and women.” – 4th World Conference on Women Beijing, China 1995, UNESCO Statement on Women’s Contribution to a Culture of Peace
Our Vision
| To be a part of creating a gender equal peaceful society where women from all backgrounds are respected, supported, empowered and celebrated |
Our Purpose and Goals
| To strengthen the relationship and networking between Maori, Pasifika and Ethnic women who want to promote diversity, peace and understanding |
| To celebrate and promote success stories of women from diverse backgrounds |
| To collaborate with organisations towards raising the awareness of gender equality issues and the promotion of solutions and empowerment to meet gender equality in Aotearoa New Zealand |
| To raise funds for services and organisations who support women’s groups, (especially from the Maori, Pasifika and ethnic communities), and who promote peace and diversity |
| To organise events celebrating women empowerment and diversity |
Our Team
| Belinda Liu – Co Chair |
| Matilde Tayawa-Figuracion – Co Chair |
| Arundhati Roy – Treasurer |
| Lachlan Mackay – Secretary and Events Assistant |
| Rhose Bayot – Web Admin |
| Shweta Sharma – Committee Member |
| Sue Lytolis, QSM – Committee Member |
| Maata Wharehoka (Parihaka) – Kuia |
| Dr. Pushpa Wood, ONZM – Patron |
| Luamanuvao Dame Winifred Alexandra Laban, DNZM QSO – Patron |