OSCE, UN Women and the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) join forces to support women’s leadership in peacebuilding and conflict resolution

Challenges and opportunities for joint actions was the focus of an event that gathered 25 women peacebuilders and mediators from Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, and Central Asia in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 27 June 2023. The panel discussion was co-organized by the OSCE Gender Issues Programme, UN Women and GNWP.

The event took place as part of the OSCE’s commitment as a Catalytic member of the Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact  (WPS-HA Compact), which calls for an accountable and transformative approach to WPS that operates across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.

The discussion identified key challenges faced by activists, helping set their priorities and recommendations on how international and regional organizations can continue supporting women’s civil society organizations and women’s leadership in times of complex conflicts and crises.

Dr. Lara Scarpitta, OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Equality, underlined in her opening address that: “Supporting networks of women peacebuilders is a priority for the OSCE, as empowered peacebuilders play a stronger and more effective role in decision making.” Adding, “OSCE continues to deliver in support of networks of women peacebuilders to achieve our commitments under the COMPACT-WPS, placing women’s leadership as a pre-condition to achieving peace and security. A strong partnership with civil society and our international partners like UN Women will help us achieve success.”

Mavic Cabrera Balleza, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the GNWP highlighted the importance of civil society in the implementation of the WPS agenda. “I am excited and inspired by what the Compact can deliver - greater investment into existing commitments on WPS and gender equality in humanitarian action and greater accountability for their implementation.” She added, “However, lessons learned from decades of civil society work on these issues tell us that good frameworks and policies are not enough. A policy or framework is only as good as its implementation. Therefore, I call for the implementation of specific actions presented in the Compact Framework."

At the Closing of the event, UN Women Regional Director Alia El-Yassir said: “UN Women has said it before and together with our partners we are saying it again: placing women and girls at the centre of peace processes is critical if we are to build a more resilient and equal world and if we are to weather other crises in the future.”

The event was organized in parallel with a regional networking meeting for networks of women peacebuilders in the OSCE region, as part of the WIN Project’s partnership with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders.