Wednesday, April 8, 2026

"Women’s Access to Justice Is Not a Choice, but a Condition for Peace"… IWPG Raises Its Voice at the UN CSW70.

April 08, 2026 0 Comments

"Women’s Access to Justice Is Not a Choice, but a Condition for Peace"… 
IWPG Raises Its Voice at the UN CSW70.



At the NGO Forum of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women held in New York, meaningful discussions took place on women's rights and peace. The event highlighted how essential it is for women and girls to have proper access to legal protection. Judicial access was addressed not just as a right, but as a critical factor influencing society as a whole. Participants from various countries shared perspectives and explored practical solutions together.

The forum placed particular focus on the legal barriers faced by women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa. It examined how institutional limitations and structural challenges directly affect their daily lives. Various models and strategies were introduced to address these issues. This reinforced the awareness of the international community’s role and responsibility in creating change.

The speaker emphasized that meaningful social transformation is only possible when access to justice for women is expanded. It was conveyed that communities can grow stronger when women's rights are protected. The importance of building lasting peace on solid institutional foundations was also highlighted. These points resonated strongly with the audience.

The importance of gender-sensitive legal support was another key topic at the forum. Discussions centered on the international responsibility of providing legal assistance for women and girls. Existing gaps and limitations within current systems were also analyzed to identify areas for improvement. The need for more practical and effective policy measures was strongly emphasized.

The event brought together NGO representatives from multiple countries, highlighting the importance of collaboration. There was a shared understanding that international solidarity is essential for advancing women's rights and justice. Participants acknowledged the need for continued dialogue and cooperation. It is expected that efforts toward peace will continue to expand in the future.

Reference : https://vo.la/uK4tNxN
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Monday, March 23, 2026

Where Should Humanity Go?

March 23, 2026 0 Comments

Where Should Humanity Go?



Where Should Humanity Go?
– The 10th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War” (DPCW): The Path to Institutionalizing Peace through Law –
 
On March 14, 2016, the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War” (DPCW) was proclaimed. This document was proposed to establish a shared framework for preventing war and promoting the peaceful resolution of conflicts in an international environment where wars and disputes continue to recur.

The DPCW originated from a deep awareness of the reality in which countless young people are sacrificed in wars. It goes beyond merely managing conflicts after they occur, and instead emphasizes structurally preventing disputes and institutionalizing cooperation.

Now, marking the 10th anniversary since its proclamation, the continued support and participation have significantly expanded the foundation for implementing the principles proposed by the DPCW.

▎ HWPL Born from the Experience of War

HWPL is an international peace NGO established to protect lives lost to war and to build a sustainable order of peace.

The background of its establishment lies in the war experience of Man Hee Lee, the Chairman of HWPL. He participated in the Korean War as a student soldier and directly witnessed the devastation of war. His conviction that no more young people should be sacrificed to war became the starting point for the founding of HWPL.

Since then, HWPL has built an international network connecting political leaders, religious communities, and civil society, while continuing efforts in international law discussions, peace education, and interfaith cooperation. The DPCW is a proposed international framework developed as an extension of these ongoing initiatives.


▎ HWPL Peace Summit (September 18) and Global Consensus

The starting point of the DPCW can be traced back to the HWPL Peace Summit held in Seoul on September 18, 2014. A total of 1,933 participants from 152 countries attended, including former and incumbent heads of state, government officials, religious leaders, international law experts, and representatives of civil society. A key issue raised during the conference was clear: responding only after conflicts occur is not sufficient to prevent the recurrence of war.

Accordingly, a shared understanding emerged on the need for international standards to prevent conflicts and institutionalize cooperation. In 2015, HWPL launched the “HWPL International Law Peace Committee” (ILPC), composed of renowned experts in international law. After thorough legal review and deliberation, the ILPC finalized the DPCW consisting of 10 articles and 38 clauses, which was officially proclaimed on March 14, 2016.

▎ Key Provisions of the DPCW

The DPCW consists of a preamble along with 10 articles and 38 clauses. While it is based on the fundamental principles of existing international law, it is characterized by clearly defining more specific measures for preventing war and strengthening frameworks for cooperation.

The DPCW includes the following key provisions: 

▪ Establishing international standards on the use of force
▪ Codifying procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes
▪ Strengthening principles of international cooperation and collective security
▪ Ensuring freedom of religion and promoting interfaith cooperation
▪ Expanding a culture of peace and encouraging civic participation

The DPCW is not intended to replace the existing international legal order. Rather, it focuses on reinforcing and supplementing established principles of international law so that they can function effectively in practice.

It is also significant in that it seeks to broaden the foundation for implementing international norms by going beyond a state-centered legal framework and incorporating the roles of various actors, including religious communities and civil society.

▎ Ten Years of Expansion and Consolidation

Since the proclamation of the DPCW, support has continued from international organizations and national legislatures. Several regional parliaments—including the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino)—have adopted resolutions in support.  More recently, support resolutions have also been passed by the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay, the Senate of the Dominican Republic, and the National Legislature of South Sudan.


At the civil society level, the movement has also continued to expand. Approximately 900,000 endorsements have been gathered from 178 countries. This demonstrates that the spread of these norms is taking place not only through state diplomacy but also through active participation from civil society.

This trend shows that the DPCW is not remaining as a mere declaration, but is gradually taking shape as a practical norm through ongoing discussions within the international community and civil society.

▎ Beyond the Era of War: The Path to Institutionalizing Peace through Law

Throughout history, humanity has often brought conflicts to an end through war. The pattern of allowing superiority in force to determine order has been repeated over time.

A civilizational shift lies in transforming this very structure. It means moving away from resolving conflicts through war and toward resolving them through law, agreement, procedures, and cooperation. While conflicts themselves may not disappear, the means of resolving them can change.

The DPCW clarifies standards on the use of force, establishes procedures for dispute resolution, and incorporates the roles of religion and civil society within an institutional framework. This represents an effort to strengthen a structure in which conflicts do not escalate into war.

The past decade has been a period of expanding these proposals within the international community and building institutional and social foundations. The task ahead is to further solidify this foundation. International norms must be strengthened to ensure that conflicts do not escalate into war, and a system must be established in which both states and societies share this responsibility.


▎ “Where Should Humanity Go?”

Rather than accepting war as a means of resolving conflicts, the direction forward is to structure and institutionalize peace. Conflicts may be inevitable, but whether they are allowed to escalate into war or addressed through alternative standards depends on the choices humanity makes. The DPCW represents an effort to translate that choice into the form of international norms, and the discussions and growing consensus over the past decade have demonstrated its potential.

One question remains: will this standard be transformed into a real-world order, or will it remain as just another declaration?

Reference : https://vo.la/GpHb5Im 
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Monday, March 16, 2026

10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)

March 16, 2026 0 Comments
10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)



▎What Path Should Humanity Take?
– 10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW): From War to Peace –
War remains a reality of international politics. Conflicts and armed clashes continue to erupt, and despite the existence of international law, war has not disappeared. How long must humanity continue to endure this cycle? If conflict is inevitable, must war also be the way we resolve it? The Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), proclaimed on 14 March 2016, was presented as a proposal in response to these questions.

▎HWPL and the DPCW
The DPCW is not a document born from abstract ideals. Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the organization that proclaimed it, is an international peace NGO established to protect lives lost in war and to build a sustainable peace order. The background of its founding lies in the wartime experience of HWPL Chairman Man-hee Lee. As a student soldier during the Korean War, he experienced firsthand the devastation of war. The conviction that the cycle repeatedly sending young people to war must end with this generation later inspired international peace initiatives. The September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit, held in Seoul on 18 September 2014, became an important turning point. At the event, attended by a total of 1,933 participants from 152 countries, participants shared a consensus that international standards are needed not only to respond to conflicts after they occur, but also to prevent them and institutionalize cooperation.


To translate this vision into concrete form, HWPL launched the HWPL International Law Peace Committee (ILPC) in 2015, composed of international law experts from around the world. Through legal review and consultation, the committee completed drafting the DPCW, consisting of 10 articles and 38 clauses, which was officially proclaimed on 14 March 2016.

▎The Standards Proposed by the DPCW
The DPCW sets out standards on the use of force and procedures for the peaceful resolution of disputes. It also reinforces the principles of international cooperation and collective security, while incorporating the roles of religion and civil society within the institutional framework. This document does not deny the existing international legal order. Rather, it focuses on clarifying already agreed-upon principles and structuring them so that they can operate effectively in practice. It is meaningful in that it represents an attempt to move beyond an order that presupposes war as a means of resolving conflict. The question raised by the DPCW is simple: even if conflicts exist, must they necessarily result in war?


▎Expansion of International Support
Since its proclamation, the DPCW has gained support from international organizations and national parliaments. Regional parliamentary bodies—including the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino)—have adopted resolutions endorsing the initiative, while about 900,000 endorsements have been collected from citizens in 178 countries. This demonstrates that norm diffusion is taking place not only through state diplomacy but also through civil society. Yet reality remains complex. International conflicts persist, and power politics remains entrenched. The transformation envisioned by the DPCW is still unfolding.

▎Beyond the Era of War: Leaving Peace as a Legacy for Future Generations
For a long time, humanity has ended conflicts through war whenever they occurred. The pattern of determining order through superiority of power has been repeated. The issue raised by the DPCW is structural. Even if conflicts do not disappear, the way they are addressed can change. The question is whether it is possible to build an order that manages conflicts within standards and procedures, cooperation and institutions, rather than through armed clashes. The past decade has been a period of raising this question to the international community and accumulating institutional and social foundations. The task ahead is to ensure that these standards operate within the actual international order.


▎What Path Should Humanity Take?
Not toward a path where war remains a means of addressing conflict, but one that seeks to structure and institutionalize peace. Conflicts may be unavoidable. However, whether they are allowed to escalate into war or addressed through a different standard ultimately depends on humanity’s choice. The DPCW represents an effort to give this transition a concrete institutional framework. The discussions and global expansion over the past decade have demonstrated that such a vision is possible. One question remains: Will these standards take root in the international order, or remain yet another declaration?
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10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)

March 16, 2026 0 Comments
10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)

What Path Should Humanity Take?
10th Anniversary of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)
– The Path to Writing Peace into Law –


On 14 March 2016, the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) was proclaimed. The document was proposed to establish shared standards for the prevention of war and the peaceful resolution of disputes in an international environment where wars and conflicts continue to recur.
The DPCW began with the recognition that countless youth are sacrificed in wars. Rather than managing conflicts after they arise, the declaration presents a direction for structurally preventing conflicts and institutionalizing cooperation.

As the DPCW marks the 10th anniversary of its proclamation, the support and engagement over the past decade have gradually expanded the foundation for implementing the standards it proposed.


▎HWPL Founded on the Experience of War
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) is an international peace NGO established to protect lives lost in war and to build a sustainable peace order. The background of its founding lies in the wartime experience of the chairman, Man-hee Lee. As a student soldier during the Korean War, he experienced firsthand the devastation of war. The conviction that youth should no longer be sacrificed in war became the starting point for HWPL's establishment. Since then, HWPL has built an international network connecting politics, religion, and civil society, and carried out discussions on the implementation of international law for peace, peace education, and interfaith cooperation. The DPCW is a proposal for international norms prepared as part of these efforts.

▎September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit and International Consensus
The DPCW began with the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit held in Seoul on 18 September 2014. A total of 1,933 participants from 152 countries attended, including former and current heads of state, government officials, religious leaders, international law experts, and representatives of civil society. The key issue raised at the conference was clear: merely responding after conflicts arise is not enough to prevent the recurrence of war. Accordingly, a consensus was formed that international standards are needed to prevent conflict and institutionalize collaboration. In 2015, HWPL launched the HWPL International Law Peace Committee (ILPC), composed of international law experts from around the world. Through legal review and consultation, the committee completed drafting the DPCW, consisting of 10 articles and 38 clauses, which was officially proclaimed on 14 March 2016.


▎Key Contents of the DPCW
The DPCW consists of a preamble and 10 articles with 38 clauses. Although it is based on the fundamental principles of existing international law, it has a more detailed articulation of mechanisms for preventing war and strengthening cooperation.
The DPCW includes the following:
• Establishing international standards regarding the use of force
• Codifying procedures for peaceful resolution of conflicts
• Strengthening the principles of international cooperation and collective security
• Guaranteeing freedom of religion and promoting interfaith collaboration
• Expanding a culture of peace and encouraging civil participation
The DPCW is not a document intended to replace the existing international legal order. Rather, it focuses on complementing and strengthening the agreed-upon principles of international law so that they can operate effectively in practice.

It is also meaningful in that the declaration aims to broaden the foundation for implementing international norms by including the roles of various actors, such as religious communities and civil society, beyond a state-centered legal framework.


▎10 Years of Expansion and Accumulation
Since the proclamation of the DPCW, endorsements continued to emerge from international organizations and national legislatures. Several regional parliamentary bodies, including the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino), have adopted resolutions in support of the DPCW. Recently, the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay, the Senate of the Dominican Republic, and the National Legislature of South Sudan have also adopted resolutions endorsing the DPCW. Support has expanded at the civil society level as well. Approximately 900,000 endorsements have been collected from citizens in 178 countries. This demonstrates that norm diffusion is taking place not only through state diplomacy but also through civil society. Such trends show that the DPCW has moved beyond a mere declaration and has gradually expanded its foundation for implementation through ongoing discussions with the international community and civil society.


▎The Path Going Beyond the Era of War: Writing Peace into Law
For a long time, humanity has often ended conflicts through war. The pattern of determining order through superiority of power has been repeated. A civilizational transition lies in changing this structure—moving away from resolving conflicts through war toward resolving them through law, agreement, procedures, and cooperation. Conflicts may not disappear, but the means of resolving them can change. The DPCW clarifies standards regarding the use of force, establishes procedures for dispute resolution, and incorporates the roles of religion and civil society within the institutional framework. This represents an effort to strengthen structures that prevent conflicts from escalating into war. The past decade has been a period of advancing this proposal within the international community and accumulating institutional and social foundations. The task ahead is to consolidate this accumulation. International norms must be strengthened so that conflicts do not escalate into war, and a structure must be firmly established in which states and societies share responsibility.

▎“What Path Should Humanity Take?”
Not toward a path where war remains a means of addressing conflict, but toward one in which peace is chosen and gradually accumulated over time. Conflicts may persist, but the means of resolving them can change. The DPCW represents an effort to give this transition a concrete institutional framework.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2026

HWPL Hosts International Webinar on Nuclear Legacy and Climate Crisis, Calls for Building Justice

March 04, 2026 0 Comments

HWPL Hosts International Webinar on Nuclear Legacy 
and Climate Crisis, Calls for Building Justice



Concerns are growing that the legacy of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands is evolving into a serious human rights issue as it intersects with climate change. In response, experts from around the world gathered in an international webinar to discuss the urgency of the situation and the need for collective action. The online event provided a platform to highlight how nuclear contamination and climate-related threats are creating overlapping challenges for affected communities.

The international peace NGO HWPL organized the webinar ahead of the Marshall Islands’ National Nuclear Victims and Survivors Remembrance Day. The discussion focused on how the historical consequences of nuclear testing continue to intersect with today’s climate challenges. Participants emphasized that the issue of nuclear legacy is not confined to the past but remains a pressing concern in the present.

March 1 marks the anniversary of the 1954 Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb test conducted at Bikini Atoll. Experts pointed out that the consequences of nuclear testing go far beyond environmental damage and have deeply affected the lives of local communities. Radioactive contamination, forced displacement, the loss of livelihoods, and restricted access to ancestral lands continue to impact generations of Marshallese people.

Climate change is further complicating the situation through rising sea levels and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Some contaminated areas, including sites where nuclear waste was buried, are now considered vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise. This has raised concerns that radioactive materials could eventually threaten both the health of local communities and the surrounding marine ecosystem.

The webinar brought together experts from the Pacific region as well as Europe and Asia, demonstrating growing international solidarity on the issue. Speakers highlighted the interconnected nature of nuclear legacy and climate change challenges. They also stressed the importance of ensuring that the voices of affected communities are heard more clearly in global discussions.

Participants emphasized that the international community should address nuclear legacy issues more actively within the broader conversation on climate justice. Understanding the experiences of affected communities and placing them at the center of policy discussions was seen as essential. Such an approach, they noted, could play a key role in developing long-term solutions.

The issue of responsibility for environmental damage and the need for international cooperation was also discussed during the webinar. Experts stressed that accountability for environmental harm does not disappear over time. They also highlighted the importance of establishing effective legal and policy frameworks to protect future generations.

According to HWPL, the webinar was designed to promote a human rights–centered approach that emphasizes prevention and international cooperation. It also aimed to frame nuclear legacy and climate vulnerability as interconnected human rights concerns. Through this discussion, the organizers hoped to encourage greater global awareness and responsible engagement with the challenges faced by the Marshall Islands.

HWPL also announced plans to continue these discussions beyond a single event. Follow-up webinars are being prepared to further explore the relationship between nuclear legacy, climate justice, and international human rights frameworks. Organizers hope that these ongoing conversations will strengthen global cooperation on the issue.

Reference : https://vo.la/iFD3mHn
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