The Connection between the Inclusion of Women and Sustainable Peace through the Lens of Theory, Policy, and Practice

Istanbul, July 4th,2011Presented by Kerri Kennedy and Deborah Cai

The Link Between Women’s Leadership & Peace

“Equality in decision-making is essential to the empowerment of women and development.”

- Beijing Platform for Action

WCI’s program experience in over 22 countries demonstrates a strong link between the presence of women in decision-making processes and the assurance of long-term peace in post-conflict societies.

Who We AreWorking in emerging democracies and post-

conflict regions around the world, Women’s Campaign International

advances opportunities for women to actively participate in public advocacy,

market and political processes. In providing the requisite skills, knowledge

and culturally-sensitive support, we develop leaders who transform the lives

of everyone they serve.

Peace Building & Conflict Mitigation

Women are systematically underrepresented in peacekeeping operations

Women constitute:

10% • Of formal

negotiating delegations

2%• Of signatories

to peace agreements

3%

• Of military personnel in Peace-keeping operations

Identifying Best Practices for Peace Building & Conflict Mitigation

Goal: To facilitate the transformation of policies, infrastructure, and environments that are conducive to violence

Organizations can do so through four programmatic areas: Promote women’s participation as leaders in

conflict resolution and peace building

Build capacity of local organizations to mobilize, envision and enact change

Promote the use of conflict mitigation and transformation techniques by existing leaders

Lobby for adherence to UN Resolution 1325 by government and UN agencies

Peace Building & Conflict Mitigation WCI in Practice

Colombia:• 1,050 IDP, Afro-Colombian and indigenous women

trained on human rights, government accountability, and collective mobilization for peace

Liberia:• Increased 1,725 women’s participation in rural and

peri-urban communities through peace councils, media campaigns, livelihoods trainings, and supporting the TRC

Sri Lanka:• 1,625 direct beneficiaries of efforts promoting women’s

activism and cultural exchange through radio, TV series, free press, conflict mitigation ToTs and entrepreneurship

WCI provides resources and technical support to programs like those of NAWOCOL, which foster community peace:

Peace Building & Conflict Mitigation WCI in Practice

Challenges women face in post conflict societies include:

Begin rebuilding their lives with fewer resources and lower savings than men.

Lack transportation and thus access to markets, government services, and raw materials

Low rates of numeracy and literacy

Post conflict aid is often directed at ex-combatants, systematically excluding women from essential resources and services and making them less competitive in the market

Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Livelihoods

In post-conflict countries, women must often first gain economic empowerment before their voices are heard in conflict negotiation and decision-making processes

“Women’s economic security is linked with peace building in that equitable sharing of wealth can strengthen the sense of a common future and prevent renewed violence, especially in an internal conflict."

Goal: Encourage women’s economic ventures in order to increase their financial stability, confidence, and sense of empowerment in post conflict societyOrganizations can work towards this goal

through the provision of services in four main areas:

Quality control and efficient production techniques for artisans

Basic business and budgeting skills for women entrepreneurs

Provision of value added agriculture tools, and in organizational development and management trainings for agricultural collectives

Trainings in networking and value chain analysis to connect sellers to a wider market of buyers

Identifying Best Practices for Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Livelihoods

Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Livelihoods:WCI in Practice

Liberia: USAID

Agents from the National Rural Women’s Program trained as trainers for rural women on financial literacy, business training, value added marketing, preservation, and labor saving technology

In Sri Lanka, WCI partnered with groups of local business women to organize a trade fair for women entrepreneurs, creating the opportunity for rural women to network and share best practices

Women entrepreneurs are provided with Quarterly Leadership and Advocacy Trainings and Individual Management Coaching

Women entrepreneurs are recruited from successful participants of NWRP programming

Sri Lanka: Local Partnership

Liberia: Goldman Sachs

Civic Engagement & Grassroots Organizing

In post-conflict countries, women must take advantage of all available avenues to make their voices heard and to influence the policies that affect them

Challenges to women’s civic engagement in post conflict society include:

Sidelining in formal negotiations after actively taking the lead in the process of advocating for political change

Lower rates of voting and voter registration than men

Higher incidence of voter intimidation

Women’s organizations lack institutional capacity and funding

Identifying Best Practices for CivicEngagement & Grassroots Organizing

Goal: Support women to be active and effective leaders of social change in their own communities

Organizations can do so through skill development and support in four programmatic areas:

Civic education and citizen responsibility

Mechanisms for collective action

Community mobilization and leadership

Advocacy, communications and outreach

Civic Engagement & Grassroots Organizing: WCI in Practice

LiberiaWCI provides rural women’s

organizations with the organizational development and leadership skills they need to organize locally

WCI worked in partnership with community-based organizations to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS,using diverse media outlets

Afghanistan

Sri Lanka

WCI partnered with Provincial Councillorsto conduct workshops for rural women focused on mobilizing rural populations to network and strategize on women’s issues

When women participate in the political process they have the opportunity to ensure that policies formed during the rebuilding period are gender-sensitive

Political Participation

Challenges women face in post conflict society include:Underrepresented in national and local assembliesIn elected office, women often face pressure to adhere to

the party line instead of pursuing policies that help women

Suffer from misperceptions that female representatives are less qualified for their positions

Excluded from top ministerial positions where many important decisions regarding peace and security are madeCandidates and elected officials often suffer stigmatization

by family and communityHave less access to opportunities that enable political participation such as higher education and formal employment

Identifying Best Practices for PoliticalParticipation, Campaigns & Leadership

Goal: Increase the number and the capacity of local and national women politicians

Organizations can do so through skill development and support in four programmatic areas:

Train political candidates in leadership, media relations and campaign management

Train existing men and women leaders to be effective elected officials, to maintain strong constituent relations and to communicate and collaborate with their peers

Develop nation-wide media campaigns on the benefits of female leaders

Promote leadership and political participation amongst young women to encourage them to run for office in the future

Political Participation, Campaigns & Leadership:WCI in Practice

Afghanistan143 Provincial Councillorstrained on leadership,

gender, and coalition-building

625 Women trained on how to run for elected office through ToT model

52 Women Members of Parliament trained on how to effectively serve their constituents and serve as elected officials

109Potential women candidates provided with leadership training

450 MPs (96%) attended General Orientation Workshops on gender analysis, the constitution, collaborative decision-making, and leadership

26 Men and women MPs from opposing parties attended conflict management and resolution training

1 National media campaign on the importance of voting for women candidates

Ethiopia

The trust of citizens in their institutions, especially the judicial and prosecution system is a pivotal element for post-conflict countries.

Rule of Law

Challenges include:

Women are underrepresented in institutions that enforce the rule of law

Female participation is often hindered by negative public opinion of women’s ability to enforce and evaluate the law, low pay, and a lack of support from family members

Rule of law requires societal shifts in perception of lawenforcement and justice

Goal: Increase the role played by women in promoting rule of law in their own communities

Identifying Best Practices for Rule of Law

Build on women’s existing skills and roles as agents of change

Provide trainings on skill building and support in leadership, advocacy, negotiations, and communications

Connect women to appropriate officials in law enforcement and justice systems

Organizations can do so through support in three programmatic areas:

Gender-Based Violence

Challenges faced in post-conflict settings include:

Stigmatization by family or community

Untreated psychological trauma

Higher rates of violence

Lack of community safety nets

Perpetrators have a high level of impunity

Lack of legal protection

Failure to enforce gender sensitive GBV laws

Goal: Increase support to communities and programs to end GBVOrganizations can do so through support in

five programmatic areas:

Provide citizens with the skills they need to identify and address instances of GBV in their own communities

Educate community members of all ages about GBV, prevention methods, and ways to respond to violence against oneself and one’s fellow citizens

Address the holistic nature of GBV

Promote women’s representation in decision-making and implementing bodies

Systematically integrate men and boys into GBV programming

Identifying Best Practices for Stopping Gender-Based Violence

WCI, in partnership with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia, provided grief and trauma counseling to survivors of the conflict

Gender-Based Violence:WCI in Practice

WCI and its partners conducted the following programmatic activities:

Organized trainings for community-based psychosocial counselors

Provided sensitization workshops for male spouses/partners of women survivors

Conducted trainings for traditional female leaders on how to support communities dealing with trauma and reintegration

Conclusion

“There cannot be true

democracy unless women's

voices are heard.

There cannot be true

democracy unless women are given the

opportunity to take

responsibility for their own

lives.”- Hillary Clinton

Contact Us

www.womenscampaigninternational.org

info@womenscampaigninternational.orgTelephone: (215) 387-2601

Fax: (215) 387-2604

Empowering Women to Transform Communities