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Ensuring the wider participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution

Published on Thursday, 6th of February 2014

A fundamental obstacle to the increased participation of women in conflict resolution is the simplified nature of how women are engaged in these processes. Often their participation is reduced to so called women’s issues, isolating them from the broader political questions and decision-making; or it is simply considered as a number counting exercise, not recognizing that simply fulfilling a quota does not confer capacity and confidence to play a meaningful role.

We work to support women’s meaningful and broad engagement in peace processes by providing influential women from different social and political backgrounds with opportunities to discuss and agree jointly and informally what are the key issues for them, and we facilitate them in delivering these recommendations to decision-makers. We currently support women in Yemen and South Sudan in such a way, to promote and support their inclusion in ongoing national processes. Our plans also include doing similar work in the Caucasus, and also working directly with male mediators in this region to help them become comfortable with gendered approaches to help their work.