Editorial: Women’s voices essential to lift world out of ‘age of chaos,’ avert WWIII

As the world continues to be choked by the smoke of war, we mark the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. We must not allow another world war to occur. It is time to bring together the collective wisdom of humanity.

There are scenes that are difficult to behold unfolding before our eyes. The Russian invasion of Ukraine drags on, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a crescendo. In places like Sudan, civil war and famine persist.

According to the Peace Research Institute Oslo, there were 59 conflicts worldwide in 2023, the highest number since 1946. The world is entering what United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres describes as “an age of chaos.”

Hal Brands, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, says that the post-Cold War era is coming to an end, marked by a growing risk of war across the world, and warns of the approach of a global conflict.

A strong resemblance to the interwar period

During the period between World War I and II, three crises unfolded simultaneously: Germany’s intimidation of Poland, Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, and Japan seizing control over northeastern China. Now, nearly a century later, two wars continue in Europe and the Middle East, while tensions rise in Asia. The situation bears a striking resemblance to the interwar era.

After World War I, Japanese jurist and diplomat Mineichiro Adachi anticipated the arrival of a “golden age” without war. He was involved in negotiating the Geneva Protocol for the abolition of aggressive war and later became the president of the Permanent Court of International Justice, and was hopeful of the future. However, the world plunged into another great war.

Today, as in those times, the concern is that the norms of international law are shaky. The U.N. Security Council is dysfunctional. Russia, a permanent member, continues its aggression against a neighboring country in defiance of the U.N. Charter, while the international community stands powerless in the face of Israel’s Gaza offensive.

Emerging nations defying the existing order also share similarities with the past. In World War II, slogans of territorial expansionism were used: Germany aimed to establish “Lebensraum” (room to live) in the East, while Imperial Japan pursued the creation of the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin uses the cultural sphere of the Russian language and Orthodox Christianity — what he calls the “Russian World” — to justify his war on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping, promoting “Chinese-style modernization,” aims to shape a multipolar world that is not dominated by the U.S. and Europe.

As global divisions deepen, there is an urgent need to establish a crisis management framework to prevent a third world war. The international community should focus its efforts on reforming the Security Council and strengthening the authority of international courts.

Civil society also plays a significant role in “human security,” which protects individuals from conflict and poverty.

In Russia, it was women who first raised their voices against the invasion of Ukraine. Daria Serenko, a 31-year-old writer, and others established the Feminist Anti-War Resistance shortly after the war began, engaging in protests and supporting Ukrainian refugees.

In Russia, movements to protect sexual minorities such as the LGBTQ community have been banned, and regulations on abortion have tightened. Serenko, who has fled to Georgia, points out that that war and violence against women always go hand in hand.

Two women are also behind efforts to provide toilets and drinking water to Gaza. Seba Abu-Daqa, a 42-year-old Palestinian living in Germany, and Tom Kellner, a 41-year-old Israeli, founded the non-profit organization Clean Shelter.

Abu-Daqa says that she wants to protect women, who are the most vulnerable in crises, from violence, while Kellner emphasizes how important it is to simply act.

Women rising

“Feminist movements that reject violence have a strong affinity with the peace movement,” notes Kyoko Numano, a professor emeritus of Russian literature at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Studies have also shown that countries where women participate more in politics have a lower risk of conflict.

In Rwanda, which endured a vicious civil war and genocide, women became the driving force behind ethnic reconciliation and nation-building. Today, more than 60% of the members of the country’s lower house are women, making it a pioneer in women’s participation.

Marie Louise Towari, a 58-year-old naturalized Japanese citizen from Rwanda living in the city of Fukushima, expresses concern that “too many people in Japan take peace for granted.” She has planned a peace conference in her home country with Japanese and African youth to coincide with the anniversary of the end of the civil war.

Serenko warns that we must pay attention to what is happening in distant Russia, because dictatorship as a form of government is contagious.

Increasing the number of female legislators and ensuring their voices are reflected in politics, protecting minority rights, and creating an inclusive democratic society where everyone can live with peace of mind — these are the first steps to preventing war.

The power of individual citizens may be limited, but by eliminating violence and moving the world from “an age of chaos” to “a golden age,” acting in pursuit of ideals, we can create a significant wave.