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Women In the Heart of Peacebuilding, Mediation (I)

 


Women are often the main victims of conflicts, as they suffer both physical and sexual violence. These must be recognized during peace negotiations by including programmes that deal with them.  In essence, however, “women's participation in mediation is simply a question of equality and fairness.”-Hannah Tetteh

 Women make up more than half of a community. Their voices should be heard. Post-conflict societies must give women the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and achieve their potential. That is why we need female mediators who make sure the peace process takes into account women's aspirations and engage women from these communities in conflict in the negotiations. Only in this way will it be possible to reach balanced agreements that also take into account women’s needs.

Communication is about giving a voice to people. Women are generally less violent. If more spaces such as media, leadership and politics, are given to women, they will general promote a nonviolent agenda

Empowering women to tackle early signs of radicalization or to support reintegration and de-radicalization programs is also important. Equally, men can play a significant role in advocating for broad issues to be included in peace processes, including those mostly affecting women, and in advocating for equal political participation.

Conflict prevention and resolution is a top issue. In one of the Crisis Group’s recent reports on Women and the Boko Haram Insurgency, analyses have been done on how the political use of gender norms and identities has fueled conflicts and why a gender perspective is essential to devise comprehensive solutions to tackle violence and build peace.

Participation of women as combatants is not an isolated incident on the continent. In many conflict affected areas in Cameroon and Africa, women  have joined combatant forces. More complicated is the role women play as supporters of war, at times, even encouraging violence against other women. When conflict becomes the norm, women’s roles often go far beyond traditional stereotypes, and the lens of victims. More nuanced understandings of women’s multiple roles and ways to engage them in early warning and post-reconstruction efforts, can improve peacemaking at all levels.

More women in media spaces, more women in peace building platforms, more women in mediation platforms, more women getting education and capacity building opportunities that  help to position them in these platforms, especially grassroots women getting their voices through such platforms, they will automatically be promoting non violence

It is also incumbent on stakeholders and state authorities to commit to greater representation of women in government-funded programs and support inclusive peace building initiatives. This can be done by ensuring that public and private development and reconstruction plans are based on a gender-sensitive analysis of the insurgency and counter-insurgency. More programs can also be designed to strengthen women’s participation in politics and local governance.

Away from this this, Non Violent Communication (NVC) can help more women peace builders and mediators to take communities from violent pathways to peace. Nonviolent communication literacy would automatically help in strengthening and deepening relationships. When we are able to emotionally build bridges with others, we will be able to empathize with their views. This is the strength of women mediators

Women can generate trust, reciprocity, information flow and quality social cooperation.

Dr Vedabhyas Kundu NVC expert based in India, whom I respect so much, always tells me that, an important element of NVC is the power of gratitude. It is through the power of gratitude we can improve the quality of social cooperation and thereby enhance social capital. NVC can help many women mediators and peace builders to facilitate meaningful dialogue and engagement; these again are crucial for enhancement of social capital.

There is still a long way to go to reach a full understanding of the complex and changing roles women can play during wars, and the full inclusion of a gender perspective in upcoming strategies to prevent or resolve deadly conflicts on the continent.

Peace processes that involve women as witnesses, signatories, mediators or negotiators, have witnessed a growth of 20% of chances to obtain a peace agreement that lasts at least two years. This probability increases with time, going up to 35% of chances for the agreement to last fifteen years.” Laurel Stone 

By Rose Obah

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