Women’s participation in peace processes has been a recurring theme in public debate, in Switzerland and elsewhere. Since the adoption of the UN Security Council 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, women’s roles in transitioning from war to peace have been increasingly recognized and supported. In parallel, however, narratives that marginalize the role and importance of women in peace processes and public life overall have also been on the rise. The so-called “anti-gender” movements have emerged across Europe, opposing a range of issues related to gender equality. Quality public debate is key in fostering greater support and meaningful backing for inclusive peace processes. This project sets out to promote it.
The project entitled: “Making peace work: understanding how women’s participation leads to more comprehensive and durable peace agreements” is a science communication project.
Building on research that explored women’s contributions to the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia, it seeks to inform and re-invigorate an evidence-based debate on the diverse roles women can play in a peace process, the benefits of their participation, and the best strategies to support it.
Project activities
The project translates scholarly debates around women’s participation in peace processes into science communication outcomes that engage and inform public debate in Switzerland. These include:
- A photographic exhibition in Bern, Geneva and Bogotá, featuring Colombian women’s contributions to peace, accompanied by easy-to-understand narrative based on existing research.
- Interactive events around the photographic exhibition with participation of Colombian women and Swiss audiences to foster meaningful dialogue.
- Meetings between Colombian women to meet and public organizations in Switzerland.
The project is implemented at the time of a growing scepticism towards peace agreement’s ability to end increasingly complex conflicts. By stimulating a public debate about the different ways in which Colombian women have engaged with the peace agreement, it helps not only to increase visibility and recognition for women’s roles in peace processes, but also for the multi-faceted utility of these processes and the resulting agreements.
