Empowering Voices: Women's Role in Arab Peace Mediation

5-7 October 2020 - Wilton Park, United Kingdom

In a virtual conference titled "The Elders in conversation on women in mediation in the Arab world," international stakeholders, including LUGARIT’s Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj, convened to mark the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Organized by UN Women, Wilton Park, The Elders, and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, supported by the German Government, the event underscored the need for women’s meaningful inclusion in peace processes in the Arab world.

With over 60 participants from 25 countries, including experienced peace practitioners, policy makers, and women peacebuilders, the conference provided a platform for critical dialogues on enhancing women's roles in peacebuilding. High-profile attendees included members of The Elders, HRH The Countess of Wessex, and the UK Government’s Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa.

The discussions stressed the significance of integrating advances in women’s peacemaking roles with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. A major concern was the systemic issue of women’s exclusion from high-level mediation processes in the MENA region, reflecting broader patterns of gender inequality and the impacts of conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key themes from the conference included:

Normative Frameworks and Implementation Gaps: Despite global and regional efforts to provide frameworks for women's participation in peace and security processes, challenges persist in their implementation and monitoring. The Arab Women Mediators Network, under the League of Arab States, was highlighted as a significant initiative.
Gender Inequality and Structural Barriers: The need to address deep-rooted gender inequalities that hinder women's participation in formal mediation was emphasized, acknowledging the influence of patriarchal norms and structures.
Recognition of Local Mediation Efforts: The pivotal role of women in grassroots peacebuilding across the Arab world was acknowledged, with their efforts leading to tangible outcomes such as detainee releases and humanitarian aid delivery.
Impact of COVID-19 on Peacemaking: The pandemic has accelerated the digitalization of peace processes, introducing both new opportunities and challenges, including heightened violence against women and digital inequalities.
Investment in Future Generations: The conference called for nurturing the next generation of female mediators and gender advocates, emphasizing intergenerational dialogue and the role of youth as agents of change.
Intersectionality in Inclusion Strategies: An intersectional approach was recommended for designing, implementing, and evaluating mechanisms for women's inclusion in peace processes.
Leveraging Change Agents: The importance of strategic advocacy, capacity building, and sensitivity training for male gatekeepers, alongside advocating for UN leadership in gender-inclusive peace processes, was highlighted.
Redesigning Peace Processes: The need for a transformative approach to peace processes was stressed, ensuring women's roles are not marginalized and that nonviolent actors and civil society voices are included.

In conclusion, the conference called for strategic coordination to sustain and further women’s roles in high-level peacemaking. Emphasizing the need for political will, it advocated for the recognition of grassroots efforts, investment in intergenerational dialogue, and the restructuring of traditional peace processes to include women and youth more meaningfully. The collective efforts towards these goals, as emphasized at the conference, are vital for the region’s journey towards inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous societies.

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