WUNRN

http://www.wunrn.com

 

1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe - We seek to make the daily peace work of women worldwide visible. We are creating a platform where women can network regionally and thematically, share methods and strategies of work and develop common projects. We seek to incorporate women’s expert knowledge into all relevant decision-making and peace building processes.

http://www.1000peacewomen.org/eng/aktuell.php

 

Women Peace Mediators - Strengthening Women in Peace Processes

 

Women must urgently be included to a greater extent in conflict resolution and peace processes. Although this is widely recognized, they are highly under-represented at peace negotiations. This is due to discriminatory norms and patriarchal structures, as well as to the fact that there are not enough well-trained women peace mediators. PWAG and its Indian partner organization SANGAT want to rectify this situation by holding mediation courses that address women’s specific needs and potential in peace processes. The aim is not merely to teach content, but also to set up pools of competent female mediators who will network among each other. The first Women Peace Mediators Course (WPMC) took place in Nepal from 18 September to 8 October 2013.

 

Why have a mediation course for women?

Mediators play a crucial role in peace processes. By mediating between the parties and helping them to draw up agreements that are acceptable to both sides, mediators make a significant contribution to conflict resolution. Techniques, approaches and skills that have been tried and tested internationally help mediators in their challenging work and can be learned in training courses. In most parts of the world, however, it is far more difficult for women than it is for men to obtain access to training. Furthermore, women’s rights are rarely seen as a priority in mediation processes, and there is often no gender-sensitive approach whatsoever in conflict analysis and transformation. PWAG and SANGAT therefore developed a course for women peace mediators that takes these elements into account and is free of charge for the participants.

Holistic and participatory

The WPMC in Nepal took a holistic and participatory approach. It was holistic because it included the body and mind in the learning process, for example through yoga, intercultural activities, films or debates. Loud laughter and empathy were regular features of the course, as was the feedback at the end of the day that was included in the rest of the course where possible. In this way, the participants were actively involved in the course structure. The practical approach was of particular benefit to the women who were involved in ongoing peace negotiations at the time, such as the participants from the Philippines.

Networks as an important goal

One of the most lasting ways of providing mutual support and multiplying activities is to set up networks. During the course, the participants formed national groups, analyzed their programs, identified gaps in their activities, and drew up action plans on how they intended to apply what they had learned after the course. The Women Peace Mediators Network in Pakistan is a direct outcome of the course. Two months afterwards, the four Pakistani participants coordinated a youth forum in Islamabad on gender-sensitive action. They each took two women activists from their region to this event, thus extending the reach of the network. However, these networking activities will not be limited to the national level. A very positive outcome was that the participants felt like “part of a peace community” at the end of the course. This successful result shows that further networks of women peace negotiators may well develop in the future.

The multitrack approach as a factor of success

The call for applications for the Women Peace Mediators Course was only announced in Asia. Twenty-five women from 12 countries were chosen from among the 250 applications. Many of the participants have been working in the peace field for many years. The selection process involved choosing participants from different tracks[1][1] in order to create a comprehensive learning atmosphere. This multitrack approach proved challenging during the theory classes, as the participants had very different levels of knowledge. However, the diversity of the group was a huge benefit when it came to sharing experiences. Depending on their track level, the women approached the same challenges in different ways. This gave the participants new ideas and allowed them to learn more intensively. The multitrack approach also helped the participants to overcome prejudices against the other tracks.


 


[1][1]          The term “tracks” is used in diplomacy to describe various intervention levels in society. The “multitrack approach” combines several of these levels, which are divided into the government, (influential elements of) civil society, and the community.