Why Study the Role of Women in Global Peace Initiatives

The question of why we should study women’s role in peace initiatives is not just academic-it’s urgent. As conflicts multiply worldwide and over 676 million women and girls live within 50 kilometers of armed conflicts, understanding women’s unique contributions to peacebuilding has become essential. Women are not merely passive victims of war; they are crucial agents of peace whose perspectives and participation can transform how we prevent, resolve, and recover from conflict.

Political participation demands women’s voices 🔗

Women’s growing political participation worldwide has made their perspectives on peace and conflict impossible to ignore. Yet despite this progress, their inclusion in formal peace processes remains shockingly low. In 2023, women comprised only 9.6 percent of negotiators in peace processes, even though research consistently demonstrates that peace agreements are more durable when women participate.

The numbers tell a stark story. Women’s participation increases the probability of a peace agreement lasting at least two years by 20 percent and lasting fifteen years by 35 percent. This isn’t coincidence-it reflects the substantive difference women’s involvement makes. When women participate in legislative processes and political decision-making, they bring essential insights on how conflicts affect communities and what sustainable peace requires.

From local governance to international diplomacy, women are increasingly present in political spaces. This reality makes studying their role in peace initiatives not a choice but a necessity. Peace studies that ignore half the population’s political participation cannot claim to offer complete or accurate analysis.

Different perspectives yield better outcomes 🔗

Women bring distinct viewpoints on politics, power, economics, and conflict resolution that lead to more comprehensive peace strategies. Research shows that women peacebuilders focus less on the spoils of war and more on long-term community rebuilding, addressing root causes of conflict rather than just immediate military concerns.

Consider practical examples: In Yemen, women-led negotiations resulted in safe access to a water source for civilians-a fundamental need that might have been overlooked in traditional military-focused talks. In Sudan, 49 women-led organizations are pushing for more inclusive peace processes that address humanitarian needs alongside political settlements.

These different priorities don’t make women’s perspectives better or worse than men’s-they make peace processes more complete. Women often emphasize economic recovery, social cohesion, and political legitimacy, the three pillars that the UN identifies as crucial for lasting peace. Incorporating diverse viewpoints on conflict resolution leads to agreements that address multiple dimensions of peace, from security arrangements to community healing.

Holistic analysis of conflict 🔗

Women’s perspectives often include attention to issues like food security, education, healthcare, and family safety-factors that significantly impact whether peace can be sustained. When UN peacekeeping helped ensure 41 percent of participants in local peace initiatives were women in 2022, these diverse concerns were more likely to be addressed in peace agreements.

Historical contributions deserve recognition 🔗

Throughout history, women have played significant though often overlooked roles during and after wars. From Bertha von Suttner, the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905, to contemporary peace activists, women have consistently worked to prevent conflict and build peace.

During World War I, women peace activists faced ridicule and persecution for their anti-war stance. The 1915 International Congress of Women brought together representatives from multiple countries, leading to the establishment of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, which continues peace work today. These pioneers laid groundwork for decades of international peace efforts.

Women’s contributions extend beyond organized movements. In conflict zones, women have maintained community structures, protected children, provided humanitarian aid, and preserved social networks that become crucial for post-conflict reconstruction. These contributions, though less visible than military actions or formal negotiations, directly and indirectly contribute to peace efforts.

Economic roles connect to peace and stability 🔗

Women constitute a major portion of the global market and workforce, making their economic participation intrinsically linked to peace and stability. When conflicts disrupt economies, women often bear disproportionate burdens while simultaneously finding innovative ways to sustain their families and communities.

Economic stability is fundamental to lasting peace. Women’s economic empowerment contributes to this stability by reducing poverty, improving household resilience, and strengthening community bonds. Understanding how conflict affects women’s economic activities-and how women’s economic participation can support peacebuilding-is essential for effective peace studies.

Women’s economic roles also intersect with their peacebuilding activities. Many women’s peace organizations address economic issues like poverty and resource access as integral parts of conflict resolution. This recognition that peace requires economic justice reflects women’s lived experiences navigating both conflict and poverty.

Primary victims deserve central roles 🔗

The stark reality is that in 2023, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled compared to 2022, with women comprising 40 percent of all conflict deaths. Cases of conflict-related sexual violence increased by 50 percent, and women in war zones face restricted healthcare access, with 500 women and girls dying daily from pregnancy-related complications in conflict-affected countries.

Women also experience conflict’s indirect effects disproportionately. One in five refugee or displaced women in humanitarian situations suffer sexual violence, and in conflict-affected countries, girls are 2.5 times more likely not to be in school. These realities make women’s participation in peacemaking and peacebuilding not just beneficial but morally necessary.

Those who bear the greatest burdens of war deserve central roles in creating peace. Women’s direct experiences of conflict provide invaluable insights into what peace requires and how to achieve it. Excluding primary victims from peace processes perpetuates the conditions that make conflicts destructive to civilian populations.

Beyond direct violence 🔗

Women’s victimization in conflict extends beyond immediate physical harm. Displacement, family separation, loss of livelihoods, and breakdown of social support systems all affect women profoundly. Over 60 million forcibly displaced and stateless women and girls face elevated risks of gender-based violence. These experiences shape what women know about conflict’s true costs and what peace must address.

Women’s advocacy movements are rising 🔗

The proliferation of women’s organizations worldwide promoting female participation in politics, economics, and security demonstrates growing recognition of women’s essential roles in peace. These organizations connect issues like global poverty and refugee crises-where women are disproportionately affected-to social conflict and peacebuilding.

Since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, which recognized women’s vital contribution to conflict prevention and resolution, numerous global and regional initiatives have emerged. Ten UN Security Council resolutions now address women, peace, and security, reflecting sustained international commitment to this agenda.

These movements aren’t just advocating for women’s inclusion-they’re demonstrating what’s possible. Women peace activists have successfully mediated local conflicts, supported survivors of violence, maintained humanitarian corridors, and kept communities together during crises. Their work proves that women’s participation in peace and security isn’t theoretical; it’s practical and effective.

The rise of women’s advocacy also reflects broader understanding that peace and gender equality are interconnected. Research shows that gender equality is among the best indicators for ensuring peace. Organizations working on women’s rights increasingly frame their work as peace work, and peace organizations increasingly recognize gender equality as essential to their missions.

What do you think? How might peace processes change if women comprised half of all negotiators and mediators? What steps can your community take to ensure women’s voices are heard in decisions about conflict and peace?

References

1. https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/facts-and-figures/facts-and-figures-women-peace-and-security
2. https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/page/women-peace-and-security
3. https://www.cfr.org/womens-participation-in-peace-processes/
4. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/promoting-women-peace-and-security
5. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1156016
6. https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/policy-issues-and-partnerships/policy/women
7. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/womens-participation-peace-processes-is-not-only-right-its-way-to-lasting-peace
8. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/themes/heroines-of-peace-the-nine-nobel-women/
9. https://wwionline.org/wwi-online/articles/women-peace-activists-during-world-war-i
10. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/press-release/2024/10/war-on-women-women-killed-in-armed-conflicts-double-in-2023
11. https://www.oxfam.org/en/womens-rights-are-early-casualties-war
12. https://dppa.un.org/en/women-peace-and-security
13. https://www.carnegie.org/our-work/article/tracking-wars-disproportionate-impacts-on-women/