During the war, Leitana Nehan trained women to participate in the peace process and prepared them to function as single heads of households. Its support for small income generating projects enabled many women to provide their families with such basic needs as health, food, education, shelter and clothing. Women in Black is a politics of resistance which inspires women in different parts of the world to organise actions and protests. Demonstrations are always women only, and usually take the form of women wearing black, standing in a public place in silent, non-violent vigils at regular intervals. Black is worn as the colour of resistance and disagreement to the politics of war.
Silence is chosen as a message that too many words have already been said.
Established in 1985, International Alert has programmes in Africa, the Caucasus region of the Former Soviet Union, Colombia and Sri Lanka. From the Village Council to the Negotiating Table, to support women peace builders and protect women in war zones worldwide. A Postcard Signature Appeal calling on the UN to include woman in peace negotiations, reconstruction and reconciliation has collected an estimated 30,000 signatures from supporters around the world.