Peace Processes

A crucial element of the women and peace and security agenda is the involvement of women in peace-related activities. We see today that more women are involved in peace talks and that more peace agreements include provisions that relate to the specific needs of women and girls, including supporting their human rights, as the 2016 report (S/2016/822) of the Secretary-General on women and peace and security highlights. The Network supports the Secretary- General’s call that initiatives to promote women’s participation and inclusive consultations should become standard practice in the mediation of peace agreements. Their important role as active agents of change in the promotion and maintenance of peace and security in all phases of conflict resolution and peacebuilding is invaluable not just for women, but for society as a whole.

Despite the progress made and the recognition of the facts that the women and peace and security agenda is critical for conflict prevention and effective responses to complex crises and that women are important agents of progress in peace talks, they remain unequally involved in those processes, particularly in political dimensions. The positive role that women play in all stages of conflict prevention and resolution is often underestimated or even ignored, instead of being recognized and utilized.