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The International Centre for Ethnic Studies will host an International Conference on 'Women, Peace Building and Constitution Making' to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from May 2 to 5, said a press release from the centre.

It said: "For this conference we have invited women activists from conflict areas including Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Guatemala and Northern Ireland. We have also invited leading academics and specialists who have researched the theme of women and peace. We hope to create a platform for the sharing of experiences and strategies among women, who are either experts in the subject, and/or have played an active role in the peace building and constitution making process of their respective countries. The objectives of the conference are:

. To identify and articulate the effect of war on women and the gender specific needs of women during times of war;

. To contribute to an understanding of women's roles in peace building and constitution making;

. To develop strategies for supporting, developing and enhancing women's peace building and constitution making capacities at multiple levels;

. To improve the cross-regional and cross-cultural exchange on the subject.

The International Centre for Ethnic Studies firmly believes that the further inclusion of women in the peace building and constitution making process in Sri Lanka holds potential for achieving peace and reconciliation in the context of its own protracted ethnic conflict. With this in mind, this conference will bring together women from all walks of life in Sri Lanka, ranging from academics, to officials in government ministries, to women peace workers at the grassroots level. It is hoped that this conference will enrich and invigorate their own work, while laying the foundation for the creation of an international network of women who are committed to working on issues of peace building and constitutional reform."

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