Nepal: Call for women's participation in peace bid

January 18, 2007 - (The Rising Nepal) Women's participation is a must in the peace building process and for sustainable development in the post-conflict situation, say international experts. The international and national-level experts discussed on transforming conflict into peace by sharing opportunities for sustainable development in the post-conflict environment. The experts shared their experiences and learning from other conflicts areas during the international conference on "Sustainable Development in Conflict Environment: Challenges and Opportunities"organised by the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation-Nepal (CECI).

"The role of media is very important in a conflict situation in relation to gender, security, peace building and sustainable development."said Faruq Faisel, a Canadian development communication specialist. Journalists could use UN Security Council Resolution 1325 as an effective tool to ensure gender sensitivity in conflict environment and team reporting methodology would be more effective to focus on gender issues during the peace process or post conflict, he said.

"For the stable peace it is vital to include women in the peace-making process; peace is linked inextricably with gender equality"Seema Shekhawat, sub editor of Across LoC. Giving examples of Burundi, Guatemala and South Africa, Shekhawat said they are enough to prove if women are given a place in the peace process the results are more fruitful. "If Nepal ignores women's participation in the peace process the result may either co-opted or as happened as Sri Lanka"she said. She added that the concept of conflict resolution and transformation cannot be a success without gender inclusion.

"There was high involvement of women in the armed conflict though their representations have been commonly portrayed as either victims of conflicts or as active agents within the movement,"Jaya Sharma of Canadian Cooperation Office. Sharma said the armed conflict has been an agent for change for women's empowerment in rural areas. Women also got opportunity to take on new roles and responsibilities owing to conflict created challenges and changes in social power relationships. She said that women are not only vulnerable to armed conflict but also capable of initiating conflict resolutions processes and take initiatives towards peace building. "We have to introduce women at the national level for advocacy of women rights,"Ramji Neupane of Canadian Cooperation Office. "If we don't give opportunities to women violence might recur due to lack of rights and environments.

From: http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=10710