How to empower women in conflict?
Despite evidence showing that women’s involvement in peacebuilding and mediation leads to lasting peace agreements, too often they remain excluded from participating in peace processes. Moreover, women and girls disproportionately bear the brunt of crises, violence and gender discrimination. Ensuring gender equality - particularly for those already disenfranchised by conflict - is essential for prosperous societies and sustainable peace.
For this year’s International Women’s Day, the United Nations identifies an alarming lack of financing as the key challenge to achieving gender equality: number five of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We are joining the UN’s call to #InvestInWomen by highlighting what we can do to empower women in conflicts and during peace processes, despite limited resources.
At The Moot, we will bring together global experts with peace and mediation practitioners to develop peacemaking tools that provide answers to the complexity of today’s conflicts. Five women experts and practitioners - part of various sessions throughout the conference - have shared insights on the challenges faced by women in conflict settings.
Watch the videos below to hear their recommendations on how to facilitate women's empowerment in peace and mediation processes.
Atim Evenye Niger Thomas, Executive Director of the Authentique Memorial Empowerment Foundation (AMEF), advocates for clear communication as a woman peacebuilder:
Neha Sanghrajka, Senior Advisor on Mediation at the UN and Co-Founder of Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth, emphasises how important it is for female peacebuilders to listen to differing viewpoints:
Chris Coulter, Deputy Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation, speaks about the role women play in informal peace processes and stresses the need to include them in formal structures:
Stella Voutta, Programme Director Peace, Global Issues at Robert Bosch Stiftung, shares why women are essential for making peace last:
Miriam Coronel Ferrer, Co-Founder of Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators, explains women build bridges and find shared solutions within conflicts:
Make sure to join the livestream of our panel discussion “Transforming peace leadership - Female voices” on 17 April which will be available to watch via our website.
Follow the Berghof Foundation’s campaign running up to International Women’s Day on X or Instagram.
