Dear friends,

As we mark International Women’s Day on March 8, we do so in the wake of widespread warfare across the Middle East, which weighs heavily on our collective conscience.

There is no question that Iran’s systematic violations of human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls, and its violent and often lethal repression of protests, are indefensible. There must be justice and accountability for these crimes.

However, the military strikes by the USA and Israel are yet another blatant violation of international law, and an example of the growing disregard for the rules-based international system. This marks the second time in just a few weeks that the USA has resorted to the use of force outside the rules of the UN Charter. A world in which powerful states set their own rules is a threat to everyone.

While the USA and Israel have framed their military action as necessary to counter an escalating threat from Iran’s missile and nuclear ambitions, it is clear that this is a war of choice, not a response to an imminent threat.  Already, civilians are paying the highest price, including school children whose lives have been shattered by a targeted missile strike. Women and children must remain beyond the reach of military attack and protected at all times.

I was disappointed by the reaction of several Western governments whose public statements failed even to mention international law. This silence reinforces the perception that it is applied selectively, upheld when it protects countries such as Ukraine, but set aside when it constrains the actions of powerful allies. International law cannot be “à la carte”. Its credibility depends on consistent application, regardless of who is involved. It is a question of principle. No state is exempt from abiding by the rules of the international order.   

As Elders, we remind political leaders that abandoning or sidelining international law is criminal. It undermines the very foundations of global peace and stability, and puts the human family at grave risk. Violence is now spilling across borders and death tolls rising. This is a stark reminder that military escalation deepens conflict and worsens humanitarian crises, and never solves political disputes.

I urge the actors involved to cease their military attacks, resume talks and bring us back from the treacherous trajectory of destruction we are on. Upholding international norms, respecting sovereignty and defending the global institutions that safeguard our collective peace and security are not optional: they are essential to prevent a return to chaos and conflict on a scale the world has long sought to leave behind.

I would like to end on a hopeful note. I have recently been inspired by the Mothers’ Call for Peace movement, which will see Palestinian and Israeli mothers walk side by side in Rome on 24 March to demand peace and honour the pain and loss of every mother who has buried a child to violence in conflict.

Women on both sides have carried much of the heavy cost of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while their voices have been the least heard. Their march is a powerful symbolic act – bridging divisions to demand a different future.

Those working at the grassroots can often feel isolated as they attempt to lead change, yet their voices have the power to move mountains. Change is driven by the courage of ordinary people like these women, who refuse to accept injustice and who work together to build a peaceful, equal and just world.

I encourage those who can to register to join the march and to support its message by amplifying it on social media.

At a time of seemingly intractable conflicts and entrenched patriarchal leadership that too often refuses to pursue courageous paths to peace, women’s leadership must shape the way forward. Our voices matter. Our actions matter. And together we carry the promise of a more peaceful world.

With thanks for your ongoing support,

Graça Machel