Between 1992 and 2018, women were only 13% of negotiators, 3% of mediators and only 4% of signatories in major peacebuilding processes.
Since 1995 and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, there has been progress, but inequality persists.
Why does this situation need to change? Why is the role of women in peacebuilding that crucial?
It is proven that women´s inclusion in peacebuilding processes is essential for long-lasting success. Long-lasting success in this respect refers to a long-term, sustainable, and peaceful solution, that remains after the dissolution of a conflict.
One major problem consists in the fact that women are too often portrayed as vulnerable victims and incapable of playing an important and essential role in peacebuilding.
Let‘ s change that.
Here are some women in peacebuilding:
There is Rajaa Altalli, member of the Syrian Women‘ s Advisory Board, who started documenting human rights violations as soon as the Syrian revolution began and co-founded a NGO.
There is Susan Sebit from South Sudan, an accomplished lawyer and advocate for women‘ s participation in governance and leadership.
There is Drita Haidari, a prosecutor for the Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo who investigates and prosecutes war crimes and is working to change the fact, that no one has ever been successfully charged with conflict-related sexual violence in Kosovo.
The role models and their stories exist. We just need to make them more visible in order to ensure that one day it will be impossible to overlook them.
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