Patience Chiradza, Director of Governance and Conflict Prevention at the African Union, at the The 12th annual UN High-Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies. Photo: Maria Santto / CMI
Excluding women from peace processes is widely regarded as a barrier to achieving lasting peace. Yet, women’s involvement in formal peacemaking processes remain alarmingly low.
The 12th annual UN High-Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies, held in Porvoo, Finland, in May 2023, provided a vital platform for senior peace envoys and practitioners to delve into the implications of the Women, Peace and Security agenda (WPS) for their work. Organised jointly by the United Nations Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA), the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO), and CMI with support from Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the seminar focused on translating normative commitments into concrete measures in mediation processes.
In 2023, the seminar was convened at a time where there is a global pushback on women’s rights.
“In the current context where existing commitments to gender inclusion are being questioned, it is very encouraging to see senior mediation envoys to come together to share real dilemmas in implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda and think creatively on how to step up efforts,” says Johanna Poutanen, Head of the Women in Peacemaking team at CMI.
Discussions at the seminar underscored the critical role of gender-sensitive conflict analysis in laying the groundwork. Failure to consider gender dynamics risks perpetuating existing inequalities and power imbalances within mediation processes.
Johanna Poutanen, CMI’s Head of Women in Peacemaking. Photo: Maria Santto / CMI
Several key takeaways on how to design and implement inclusive peace processes were identified. In practice, new methods such as digital tools offer promising avenues for wider representation of people, views, and interests.
“It is important to create platforms for women to converge and engage around the issues that they want to be brought to the table,” stated Patience Chiradza – Director of Governance and Conflict Prevention at the African Union.
Overall, the seminar highlighted the imperative of incorporating women’s voices and perspectives into peace processes. As practitioners strive for a more just and inclusive peace, the exchange of insights and strategies among peers remains invaluable, underscoring the ongoing commitment to advancing the WPS agenda amidst global challenges to gender equality.
This article was published in CMI’s 2023 annual report.