I was privileged to attend the 2018 Women PeaceMaker Panel recently. The panel included Oxana Cristescu of Eurasia who has worked in various conflict affected areas including Ethiopia, Sudan, Kosovo, Moldova, Ukraine, and Lebanon; Rosa Emilia Salamanca of Colombia who has played a part in the Colombian peace process and the final negotiations in Havana which resulted in one of the most gender inclusive peace agreements in history; Amira Abdulrahman Hussein Timan of Sudan who has worked in mobilizing groups to participate in the peace negotiations between the Government of Sudan and Darfur Armed Groups; and Mariam Yazdani of Pakistan who has worked in developing programs related to peace building and community policing in areas including Haiti and Brazil.
These women and the big things they are doing to build capacity for peace are impressive. Rosa Emilia Salamanca made a comment (paraphrase mine) at the beginning as videos were shown of each of the four, herself included, "I wanted to crawl under my chair, I don't like to be talked about." She went on to say it is the "we" that makes the difference. The groundbreaking shift in Columbia had been impacted by the collective voice of women. It was the readiness of a grassroots group of women to interject their agenda into what was already going on at a pivotal moment. Their perception, timing, and readiness was historical. As I wedged in and eavesdropped on Rosa speaking to a group of youth activists during the reception and mingle time...I heard her humbly restating over and over, "It is the we... that makes the difference." (Paraphrase mine)
I was also struck by the realization that these four and others who participated could have very different points of view. Peacemaking is so nuanced and specific to each setting. I am astounded at how perceptive and circumspect yet courageous these women are in the often illusive realm of their work. Yet we can all agree that every shift and every space created by that space is success that can be built upon-that requires incredible patience; always living with the long view while looking for moments when critical mass creates momentum that requires action.Every action of the negotiator or peace advocate speaks of passion and calling.
Every shift makes a difference. As I mingled, I conversed with a young woman standing to the side thumbing through some handouts. I asked if this was her first time to attend or if she was a regular at these events. She said it was her first time, that she always wanted to come but had never found the time. She worked with a special needs group and was now enrolled in city college Peace Studies. As we talked I heard such enthusiasm in her voice as she articulated about a paper she had written highlighting the practice of "circles" in schools and the difference it could make when children were given a voice and felt heard. I was equally impressed by this young single mom who was creating her own space through the shift in her direction to making peace normative and integral to her education and way of thinking.
My takeaway is that every shift makes a difference and we cannot know the ripple effect of one small space created and what that might do for peacemaking or peace building long term. Whether it is teaching our young children in schools or negotiating between nations each contributes to global peace.
Women make a big difference in lasting peace.
Statistics show that women's involvement in peace initiatives are critical and
64% PEACE AGREEMENTS LESS LIKELY TO FAIL
WHEN SOCIETY GROUPS INCLUDING WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS ARE INVOLVED
35% PEACE AGREEMENTS MORE
LIKELY TO LAST AT LEAST
15 YEARS
WHEN WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN PEACE PROCESSES RESULTING IN AGREEMENT
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