My voice, our Peace! Connecting women peace leaders from Afghanistan and Ukraine: A side event at the Geneva Peace Week 2023

The OSCE and the Centre for Dialogue and Progress Geneva will organize a high-level event highlighting the critical role that networks play in empowering peacebuilders and support women’ leadership and agency in peace processes. The event will also offer the opportunity to highlight some of the challenges faced by women peacebuilders from conflict and post-conflict settings and identify concrete steps and recommendations for joint international actions towards greater inclusivity.

Speakers

Welcome remarks / Keynote Address

• Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General

Panel Discussions

• Loredana Teodorescu, President of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network and WISS Italy
• Fawzia Kofi, President of the “Movement of Change for Afghanistan”
• Shah Gul Rezaie, Human Rights and Women Rights Activist, European Institute of Peace
• Anna Popsui, Ukrainian Activist, Head of the “Young Women Peacebuilders” NGONGO
  non-governmental organization

Concluding remarks

• Lara Scarpitta, Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, OSCE
• Moderator: Marc P. George, Senior Diplomatic Adviser, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, GCSP

Background

Women’s inclusion in peace and security processes, as well as women’s leadership in conflict resolution and peacebuilding are essential prerequisite for long-lasting sustainable peace and stability.

Twenty-three years since the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1325, women are yet to be fully and meaningfully included in peace processes and conflict resolution efforts. The number of women in Track 1 negotiators remains law and grassroots activists and women-led organizations are largely excluded from formal peace and security negotiations, including ceasefire agreements, as well as post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation discussions.

By focusing on the role of networks and by bringing the voices of mediators, negotiators and grassroots activists, this event will shed light on the key gaps in implementing UNSC Resolution 1325 and the opportunities that networks of women involved in peacebuilding can provide to foster critical linkages between Track 1 and Track 3 actors and women’s greater inclusion. The experience of women from Afghanistan and Ukraine can illustrate how women can have a positive or symbolic role in the peace processes.

Registration

Please register here.

Registrations close on Sunday 29 October at midnight.