The exclusion of women from the processes of conflict resolution and peacebui...

The exclusion of women from the processes of conflict resolution and peacebuilding has an excessively high cost that we cannot afford. That exclusion not only weakens the effectiveness of conflict-prevention mechanisms, but also drastically reduces the opportunities for peacebuilding. It is important to remember that in traditional societies — in many cases that is where armed conflicts have taken place or are continuing — the role of women in the family and in society is
absolutely pivotal. Lasting peace cannot be built based upon the status quo, which has allowed inequality and the imbalance of power to continue and has, in the majority of cases, been one of the deep-seated causes of conflict. The peace process must identify the specific needs of women and must appropriate the necessary resources to address them. Such a process would the produce enormous results for society. We must transform prejudices and patterns of social discrimination and those laws and customs that are obstacles to the equal participation of women.