Women as drivers of change in post-conflict: A panel discussion

Women are systematically excluded from decision-making circles – and the arena of peace is no exception.

On 16 February our Executive Director Andrew Gilmour took part in the panel “Women as Drivers of Change in (Post) Conflict Situations” in the BMW Pavilion at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), which aimed to unpack some of the challenges to achieving a gender inclusive peace process following war.

This discussion offered an insight into our upcoming event on Transforming Peace Leadership – Female Voices, that will take place at The Berlin Moot on 17 April.

Kicking off the panel at the MSC, speakers emphasised that many inspiring women are already “doing the work” of advocating for gender equality and inclusion. It is instead the responsibility of those sitting at decision-making tables to ensure women and their voices are included.

IS LANGUAGE TO BLAME?

Perhaps language and discourse around feminist foreign policy is not always best placed to engage boys and men. For some, the term “feminist” is considered off-putting, “too radical”, and not conducive to equality.

Others argued that the term needs to be applied in context to be properly understood. If the issue at hand is women’s exclusion from peace processes, then feminism is the correct tool – and an accurate term – to push for equality.

High-level representatives stressed that the larger issue at hand is a need for systemic change. Women do the majority of unpaid care work, restricting their capacity and time to engage in political discussion. A redistribution of labour is needed, as well as political spaces to be made safe for women to voice their perspectives without fear of harassment or violence.

IS FEMINISM PART OF AN IMPERIALIST AGENDA?

Women who have lived in conflict settings are best placed to lead initiatives that aim to support their own inclusion; and, when Western actors do interfere, they should – at the very least – adhere to the values that they claim to uphold. Historically – as seen with recent cases of gender-based violence from international organisations’ – this has not always been the case.

More at our event on 17 April, which will be livestreamed and available to watch via our website.