Ways Syrian Women must be included in the upcoming Peace Talks
A new round of Syrian peace talks has been scheduled to begin in Geneva on the 25 January. This time the question is not if women shall participate in the talks, but how they shall be included in the process. In this article, we investigate how the women civil society can participate in the talks.
Syrian women groups and activists have been calling for their effective inclusion and participation in the UN lead Syrian peace process since 2013. They have continued to develop positions and recommendations for a peaceful solution of the conflict, calling for the protection of as an absolute and immediate priority. Women civil society groups are a key actor for the protection of civilians, combating extremism and promotion of nonviolence and they should be supported on a long-term basis and given a key role in the peace talks.
The question is not if women should participate in the upcoming peace talks, it is how they must be included in the process at all levels.
As Syria is moving into its 6th year of unimaginable civilian suffering and conflict, a new round of Syrian peace talks has been scheduled to begin in Geneva on the 25 January 2016. Recent disagreements among the key international stakeholders on the members of opposition delegation might delay the process further. This is despite the recent display of international unity over a crisis that has divided major powers. The international commitment to find a political solution in Syria was renewed with a unanimously adopted Security Council Resolution to focus exclusively on the political solution in Syria on the 18 December 2015.
The Geneva Communiqué of 2012, as well as the Vienna statements by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in 2015, have both recognised the importance of women’s groups participation in all future peace negotiations, transition processes and the eventual implementation of final agreements.
The UN Special Envoy has also made explicit commitment to the importance of including women in the talks, and recently said in an article in The Guardian that “Women’s leadership and participation in conflict resolution are critical for sustainable solutions. The engagement of women in shaping the future of Syria is more important now than ever before.”
Although women’s participation in peace process is a legal obligation in accordance with international law, we present below some of the arguments that were highlighted in an event hosted by WILPF and the International Peace and Transition Initiative at the Graduate Institute in Geneva with representatives from 20 Syrian women civil society organisations in December 2015:
So, the question is no longer if women should participate in the peace talks but how.
Participation or influence of women civil society organisations across various phases of a peace processes has become more visible in recent years. This includes development of the international normative framework justifying the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of a peace process. It also includes formal structures through a variety of modalities of participation. As resent research has shown, this has in practice enhanced the likelihood of peace agreements being signed and implemented, but only if these groups were able influence these processes in a meaningful way.
Throughout the ongoing Syrian peace process, civil society and women’s groups have made many initiatives to engage at all levels (local, national, and international), and in both formal and informal processes, to support the resolution of this complex armed conflict. Consequently, over the past five years, these groups have built up substantial capacity and invaluable experience. They maintain strong motivation and willingness to continue engaging in the formal intra-Syrian peace talks.
The official framework, or format, of these peace talks has not yet been disclosed or finalised. However, based on clear requests by Syrian civil society and women’s organisations, a formal structure for their participation has been envisaged in the early stages of these talks.
Some of the key demands and options that have been developed are aiming to ensure women are represented at all levels in the process:
The need for women’s wider participation in peace processes can no longer be perceived as a mere normative demand; in fact, recent studies have shown that including women in peace processes increases the probability of reaching a long lasting peace agreement by 35%. Thus, there is strong correlation between women’s inclusion and higher likelihood of reaching agreements, and that shatters common assumptions claiming that women’s inclusion may negatively impact the course of peace processes.
It is also important to state that ensuring a higher number of women involved in peace processes is not sufficient on its own; it is essential to combine it with meaningful participation and stronger influence of women on the process in general.
WILPF strongly believes that mediators, Member States, and the United Nations must exert pressure on – and guarantee that – all warring parties of the Syrian conflict and stakeholders ensure women’s inclusion in the process is equal and meaningful. We also urge the international community to effectively support and technically enable women’s groups in Syria in positively influencing the peace process.
Berit Aasen is a sociologist by training and has worked at the OsloMet Metropolitan University on Oslo. She has 40 years of experience in research and consultancy in development studies, including women, peace, and security, and in later years in asylum and refugee studies. Berit Aasen joined WILPF Norway five years ago. She is an alternate member of the National Board of WILPF Norway, and representing WILPF Norway in the UN Association of Norway, the Norwegian 1325 network and the Norwegian Women’s Lobby. Berit Aasen has been active in the WILPF European Liaison group and is committed to strengthening WILPF sections and membership both in Europe and relations across continents.
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Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.
Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.
Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.
In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region.
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WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.
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