The Role of Women in Peace and Security
I often think about what my role is as a woman in promoting peace. How can I advocate alongside international organizations to ensure security in war torn countries? Womanhood is all interconnected when talking about peace. WFWP Founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, was one of the first advocates to promote this idea in the international community: that women would be a catalyst for positive change in local and global communities.
The goal of the international community since the early 2000s has been to invest in the empowerment of women, because investing in women creates sustainable development. The main reason is that by nature, women prefer peace and resolution rather than war and insecurity. Women focus on critical elements of sustainable peace because with economic development, education, and justice, they can give that back to their communities. Representation and acknowledgement of women in social and legal sectors would not only ensure successful negotiations, but also ensure that women’s interests are being addressed.
One international organization that is supporting women to engage in peace processes is UN Women. This includes working along UN peacekeepers to prevent conflict related to violence and discrimination. They also focus on promoting public services as a response to the needs of women. For example, they ensure women’s access to economic opportunities and build women’s engagement in politics at the local and national levels.
The international community has recognized the disproportionate and unique impact of war on women and girls and have also acknowledged the contributions women and girls make to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. An International Peace Institute study of 182 signed peace agreements between 1989 and 2011 found that when women are included in peace processes, there was an increase in the probability that a peace agreement had the potential to last 15 years or more. For example, the U.S. Department of State directed their focus on empowering Muslim women in the Middle East after 9/11 in hopes that they would raise their children to distance themselves from terrorism and instead to be pillars in their communities to promote peace. When the international community empowers women, they ensure higher rates of peace.
Women are essential pillars of their communities and empowering them would fortify the weaknesses that come with corruption, war, and lack of resources. Women can bring sustainability in areas pertaining to reconciliation, peace, and development. The logic is this: Grandmothers would train and educate their daughters. Mothers would give back to their communities because they know that their children would be the ones who will live in those same communities for generations to come. Daughters would be able to have more opportunities when it comes to education, skilled training, and economic opportunities. Sisters would work alongside each other to build up and not tear apart.
Women’s Federation for World Peace works together to empower women. It is not ironic that women are working together to empower fellow women. WFWP knows the value and contribution of each woman to create a culture of sustainable peace. We must continue to support women from all communities, advocate for girls who will become the future mothers, and continue to pave the path of women empowerment because it is crucial for development and peace.
References:
https://www.usip.org/publications/2017/11/essential-role-women-peacebuilding
https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/peace-and-security/global-norms-and-standards
https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/dime/brief/dime-gender-program