((short description|Women's anti-war movement))
((distinguish|The Woman in Black))
((pp-30-500|small=yes))
[[File:Women in Black in New Paltz, NY.JPG|thumb|Women in Black staging a protest in [[New Paltz, New York]]]]
'''Women in Black''' (((lang-he|נשים בשחור|translit=Nashim BeShahor))) is a women's [[anti-war]] movement with an estimated 10,000 activists around the world. The first group was formed by [[Israelis|Israeli]] women in [[Jerusalem]] in 1988, following the outbreak of the [[First Intifada]].<ref name=Feminism>((cite book|last1=Melanie S. Rich|first1=Kalpana Misra|title=Jewish feminism in Israel : some contemporary perspectives|date=2003|publisher=Brandeis University Press, Published by University Press of New England|location=Hanover, NH|isbn=9781584653257|pages=114–5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xUxoXwNsqqQC&pg=PA114))</ref>

==History==
((more citations needed section|date=May 2020))
[[File:Women in Black.jpg|thumb|Women in Black staging a protest in [[Paris Square (Jerusalem)]] with the distinctive black [[stop sign]]s calling "Stop the Occupation" in three languages]]
Responding to what they considered serious violations of [[human rights]] by Israeli soldiers in the [[Israeli-occupied territories|Occupied Territories]], the women held a vigil every Friday in central Jerusalem, wearing black clothing in mourning for all victims of the conflict. Initially the group had no name but it was quickly identified with the black clothing, which also helped create distinctive demonstrations which were hard to ignore.<ref>((cite book|author-first1=Dale |author-last1=Spender |author-first2=Cheris |author-last2=Kramarae |title=Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge |date=2004 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=9781135963156 |page=1517 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAOUAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT1577 |access-date=7 September 2015))</ref>

The initiative soon spread to various other locations in Israel, with women standing weekly in main squares of cities or at junctions on inter-city highways. As was decided early on, the movement did not adopt any formal program other than opposition to the occupation. Local groups were autonomous in deciding such issues as whether or not to open participation to men as well as women, and there were many shades of political difference from one place to another.

At the peak of the Intifada there were thirty vigils in different locations throughout the country. The number dwindled sharply after the [[Oslo Agreement]] in 1993, when it seemed that peace with the Palestinians was at hand, and picked up again when violent events proved that hope to have been premature.

The first vigils in other countries were started in solidarity with the Israeli group, but then embraced other social and political issues. Especially notable were the Women in Black group in former [[Yugoslavia]], which in the 1990s confronted rampant nationalism, hatred and bloodshed, often meeting with violence from nationalists.

Women in Black in India stands against Hindu Fundamentalism and the violence it inflicted upon women. Women in Black in Italy protest against war and organized crimes. In Australia, WIB stands against domestic violence.<ref>((cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hwKUAgAAQBAJ&q=women+in+black+vigil+in+india&pg=PA239 |title=Frontline Feminisms: Women, War, and Resistance |author-last1=Waller |author-first1=Marguerite |author-last2=Rycenga |author-first2=Jennifer |date=23 November 2004 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=9781135954543 |language=en))</ref>

While each group is free to pursue its own goals and activities, the women maintain regular contact via e-mail and the Internet, and hold annual international conferences. Their most common tactic consists of standing together periodically in various public places, usually in complete silence unless pedestrians ask questions, which at times escalate into full-fledged arguments. The Women in Black's counter-group is called [[Women for Israel's Tomorrow]] who typically wear green hats.

The 2015 WIB gathering took place in India, Bangalore with the participation of several feminist organizations.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.rawa.org/rawa/2015/12/01/rawa-member-attends-women-in-black-conference-in-india.html |title=RAWA member attends 'Women in Black' conference in India « RAWA |website=www.rawa.org |access-date=11 December 2017))</ref>

== Political position ==
[[File:Anti-War Anniversary March -18- (50741778643).png|thumb|right|A woman in black at an anti-war rally in 2011]]
In Israel, Women in Black belongs to the radical left.<ref>((cite book|author-last1=Svirsky |author-first1=Marcelo |title=Arab-Jewish Activism in Israel-Palestine |date=2013 |publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]] |page=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MOqhAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |access-date=3 September 2015 |isbn=9781409476733))</ref> The organization supports the [[BDS movement]].<ref name="Fleischmann2019">((cite book|author-first=Leonie |author-last=Fleischmann |title=The Israeli Peace Movement: Anti-Occupation Activism and Human Rights since the Al-Aqsa Intifada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xq-pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT41 |date=19 September 2019 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-83860-098-3 |pages=41))</ref>

==Awards==
In 2001, the movement was awarded the Millennium Peace Prize for Women given by the [[United Nations Development Fund for Women]]. The same year, the Israeli and Serbian groups were nominated for [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>((cite book|author-first1=Mary Zeiss |author-last1=Stange |author-first2=Carol K. |author-last2=Oyster |author-first3=Jane E. |author-last3=Sloan |title=Encyclopedia of women in today's world |date=2011 |publisher=[[Sage Reference]] |location=Thousand Oaks, Calif. |isbn=9781412976855 |pages=1562–3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B50Jad7552MC&pg=PA1562))</ref>

==See also==
*[[Coalition of Women for a Just Peace]]
*[[Code Pink]]
*[[Erella Shadmi]]

==Bibliography==
((Refbegin))
* ((cite book|author-first1=Kathryn G. |author-last1=Herr |author-first2=Gary L. |author-last2=Anderson |title=Encyclopedia of activism and social justice |date=2007 |publisher=[[SAGE Publications]] |location=Thousand Oaks |isbn=9781452265650 |pages=1477–1479 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fy11AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT1597))
* ((cite book|author-first1=Erella |author-last1=Shadmi |author-first2=Chava |author-last2=Frankfort-Nachmias |title=Sappho in the Holy Land : lesbian existence and dilemmas in contemporary Israel |date=2005 |publisher=[[State University of New York Press]] |location=Albany |isbn=9780791463185 |pages=191–210 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pUVNAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA191))
((Refend))

==References==
((Reflist))

==External links==
((Commons category))
*[https://www.womeninblack.org/ Official website]
*[https://www.womeninblack.org.uk/ UK branch website]
*[https://search.iisg.amsterdam/Record/COLL00308 Women in Black documents] Israeli Left Archive
*[https://womensenews.org/2003/10/aid-girls-going-beyond-schoolhouse/ Twenty years' anniversary of the Women in Black] Women's News

((anti-war))

((Authority control))

((DEFAULTSORT:Women In Black))
[[Category:Anti-war movement]]
[[Category:Feminist organizations in Israel]]
[[Category:Peace organizations based in Israel]]
[[Category:Jewish anti-occupation groups]]
[[Category:Non-governmental organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict]]