Developing strategies for the inclusion of women in formal negotiation processes was the focus of a side event organized by OSCE 2023 Chairpersonship of North Macedonia with the Secretariat's Gender Issues Programme during the Chairpersonship's Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Conference in Tetovo on 5 September.
Opening the event, Dr. Lara Scarpitta, Senior Adviser on Gender Issues in the office of the OSCE Secretary General, highlighted that "in times of conflict and post-conflict, women's role in peacebuilding is still not fully recognised despite their incredible efforts in defending women's rights and supporting their communities. For sustainable peace, we must redouble efforts to include women, especially those at the grassroots level, in all peace and security discussions".
Two keynote speakers, Radmila Shekerinska, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Republic of North Macedonia and Catherine Fearon, Deputy Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and founding member of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, shared their experience being engaged in formal peace negotiation processes, reflected on the challenges they experienced and showcased some of the key achievements made by women in peace processes.
"Progress on women's participation is too little, too weak and not changing the reality for our sons and daughters," Shekerinska said while stressing that women's participation increases the chances of a sustainable settlement to be achieved.
The keynote speeches were followed by a panel discussion among prominent women peace leaders from grassroots civil society organizations, who are also the Gender Issues Programme's WIN project partners, from Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Ukraine. They stressed some of the key challenges of women peacebuilders on the ground, including the lack of access to decision-making, lack of funding and safety concerns including personal attacks.
The panellists recommended that concrete actions should be taken to include women from the grassroots level in decision-making, flexible funding made available for their work, their safety and security better protected, and more spaces and resources for exchange and support to existing networks established. They also highlighted the importance of including young women peacebuilders in capacity-building and networking activities. The recommendations of women peacebuilders were further discussed during the plenary session of the Conference.
