4 – 15 June 2012, The Hague

Women, Peace and Security

Yet, peace processes or other initiatives to resolve or transform conflicts are often as exclusive as the situation that led to conflict. Particularly women and mixed CBOs are still almost absent or without decision making power, not withstanding the existence and commitments of strong women’s organisations and leaders.

Discrimination and exclusion of women and lack of protection through legislation and justice make women extremely vulnerable in conflict and women’s bodies a battlefield in the war. Although this violence against women has received increased (international) attention, impunity is still largely reigning. The strong focus on women without gender perspective and identifying women only as victims is creating a division between men and women in communities; men are stereotyped as perpetrators or aggressors, women as victims. This situation is an obstacle for joint efforts for change and women’s active role, in spite of efforts to empower women and support their leadership. Although the majority of violation is done by men, not all men are violent, an important fact to consider in peace building. Impunity has become not only a threat for justice and security, but also a problem for men and women in the margin of power.

In 2000 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325, known as UNSCR 1325, an initiative strongly lobbied for by the women’s movement, in order to make serious work of a part of the Beijing Platform of Action, 15 years before in 1995. With this resolution the Security Council recognises the imperative of women’s active participation and inclusive processes for sustainable peace and security and remind member states of their responsibility to respect and implement women’s and human rights according to international treaties. Resolution 1325 was followed by others (1820, 188.1889, 1960). But in spite of some positive changes, 12 years after the adoption of UNSCR 1325, practice is still far from full implementation and women still face huge obstacles for participation peace processes and other changes and impunity for (sexual) violence against women (and gender based violence against men) is still widespread, particularly for those responsible for widespread violence as a war crime. About 30 countries have developed national action plans (NAP) - as recommended in the resolution – and information about the resolution is not always disclosed to responsible staff and authorities.

During and after the 10 year celebration many member states publicly confirmed the importance of the resolution and announced action such as developing NAPs and adopting the newly developed set of indicators to measure change. These promises and the adopted indicators and the decision to review implementation in 2015 are very important opportunities for civil society organisations and women’s movement to grab this important political momentum.

The challenge is huge. Because of the before mentioned tendency to focus more on (sexual) violence against women, emphasising women as victims at the expense of women’s active (political) role, women face huge obstacles in mostly patriarchal societies, facing cultural prejudices, which are often supported by international organisations. Men are increasingly challenged by more violent masculinities, impeding social and equal processes for change and exclusion and violence when women make their voice hear.

Programme

The training Women Peace and Security is targeted to women and men who seek inclusion of women and active (political) participation in conflict affected situations and peace building processes. The main objective is strengthening individual women and men and their organisations for a more inclusive and effective peace building and facilitate networking. Participants are from conflict affected areas or from organisations or countries that want to advocate for the implementation of the WPS agenda and other inclusive conflict transformation efforts.

The training will have 5 modules:

1. Explanation of some concepts about conflict, conflict transformation and prevention;

2. Knowledge about the relevant UNSCR’s on Women, Peace and Security and international Human Rights framework and mechanisms to demand these rights.

3. Share, analyse and discuss obstacles, successes, dilemmas and challenges based on cases in the field, mainly based on the experiences of the participants.

4. Training module for tools and skills for communication and negotiation and advocacy.

5. Debate with external stakeholders to understand different roles, discuss about dilemmas and facilitating networking. 

Please see the draft programme 2012.

Applications need to be received by April 20, 2012.

Registration

For registration please fill out the registration form below. The fee is €995 for professionals and €875 for students, including lunches and refreshments, a welcome dinner, a drinks reception and working materials. Leiden University students are charged €700,-.  Accommodation is not included in the fee, and is not arranged by the Grotius Centre. For different options please check the accommodation list on this website.