Policy brief on inclusion and peacebuilding

CMI and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva organized an experts’ meeting in Geneva in January 2015 to review, analyse and frame the key findings from the Graduate Institute’s “Broadening Participation” research related to women’s participation and gendered approaches.

The policy brief, authored by Dr Thania Paffenholz, Antonia Potter Prentice and Cate Buchanan, was developed in consultation with those associated with the meeting. It summarizes some of the highlights from the research as well as pertinent discussion points raised at the meeting.

The brief is a contribution to the UNSCR 1325 High-level Review and its associated Global Study and to the peace and security community more broadly.

The seven key points which you can read about more in the brief are:

1. Investments in process and outcome documentation and monitoring pay dividends to inform learning and good practice.
2. Peace process actors’ understanding of issues of ‘quantity’ and ‘quality’ related to women’s participation needs far greater nuance and accountability.
3. The persistent lack of women’s direct participation in peace processes is rooted in the political economy of power.
4. Technical support packages for women’s participation in peace processes should be strengthened and increased.
5. What mediators think, do and say matters in increasing women’s meaningful participation.
6. The complexity of women’s multiple identities and roles needs to be better reflected in peace process design.
7. Civil society is not a synonym for women or women’s rights organisations.

You can find the full policy brief here.