CONFERENCES: A New Approach to Ending and Preventing Wars – Women Mediators - Inclusive Security Media Advisory

We hope the events and mediators we have assembled may be of interest.

Updated Media Advisory Jan. 14, 2011
Contacts:
Jonathan Talbot, 202-403-2016 / 202-997-4744 or talbot@huntalternatives.org
Jaime Horn, 917-523-0705 or jaime.horn@gmail.com

A New Approach to Ending and Preventing Wars – Women Mediators

WHAT: Experienced women mediators from around the world are in the United States to call attention to the almost complete absence of women mediating armed conflicts at the highest levels. They will release recommendations on how organizations such as the African Union, European Union, Organization of American States, and United Nations can improve mediation and engage more women in the peacebuilding process. After lecturing and coursework at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, they will participate in public events and private meetings in three cities, including meeting with Michelle Bachelet, head of the new entity, UN Women, and hundreds of other decision makers in New York City and Washington DC.

WHO: Leaders from twenty countries, with experiences ranging from ceasefires with US security forces in Iraq to mediating between political parties in Sri Lanka. Ambassador Swanee Hunt, chair of The Institute for Inclusive Security, will lead events throughout the two weeks.

WHEN & WHERE (featured events in DC):

Jan. 18, 2011: Inclusive Security 2011 Policy Forum: “Women Mediating Conflict”

Renaissance Washington Hotel, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Featuring: Rep. Russ Carnahan, US House of Representatives (D-MO) and member of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee; B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, United
Nations; Jordan Ryan, Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and
Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery; as well as women mediators Annabelle
Abaya* (Philippines), Ruth Caesar * (Liberia); Roxana Cristescu* (Balkans), Raya Kadyrova*
(Kyrgyzstan), and Stella Sabiiti* (Uganda).

Jan. 20, 2011: “Can Women Help Make Peace Agreements Sustainable?”

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 10:30 a.m. to noon
Featuring: Jacques Paul Klein, Former United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative and Coordinator of United Nations Operations, Liberia; as well as women mediators Suuad Allami* (Iraq), Roxana Cristescu* (Balkans), Luz Méndez Gutiérrez* (Guatemala), and Alice Nderitu* (Kenya); moderated by Carla Koppell, Director of The Institute for Inclusive Security.

*Biographies of all the women mediators are available upon request.
Members of the media are encouraged to attend these events.
Please call or email to schedule interviews through January 21, 2011.

WHY: Half of all peace negotiations fail. Despite evidence that increased participation by women could improve that statistic, women are essentially missing from high-level peace negotiation and mediation efforts. Although the UN Security Council and dozens of national governments have committed to generally bring more women into peace processes, no woman has ever been appointed Chief or Lead Peace Mediator in any UN-led peace talks. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has called directly, repeatedly and recently for greater women's roles in peace processes. The UN, including the Secretary General, the UN Department of Political Affairs and the new UN Women have recently announced plans to increase the number of women working as high-level mediators. This expert group of women mediators will draw attention to the importance of funding this new commitment, and will suggest actions other multilateral organizations can take.

About The Institute for Inclusive Security
The Institute for Inclusive Security uses research, training, and advocacy to promote the inclusion of all stakeholders, particularly women, in peace processes. We work with a global network of well over 1,000 women leaders from more than 40 conflict regions. Our research gives policymakers new strategies to drive inclusion by examining tangible contributions of women peace builders. Our training provides leaders the specialized skills and knowledge to direct local, national, and international peacebuilding. Our advocacy to high-level policymakers promotes change that makes peace processes more broad-based, and thus sustainable. To learn more, visit http://www.inclusivesecurity.org.

About Hunt Alternatives Fund
Hunt Alternatives Fund, a family foundation based in Cambridge, Mass., provokes sustainable social change through a blend of operating and grant-making programs. Since its founding in Denver in 1981, the Fund has contributed more than $80 million toward a wide spectrum of social issues. Currently working to strengthen youth arts organizations, support social movement leaders, advocate for inclusive peace processes, combat the demand for modern-day slavery, and inspire women to political leadership, we convene allies, build their capacity, and empower them to achieve systemic change. To learn more, visit the Hunt Alternatives Fund Web site at http://www.huntalternatives.org.

The Institute for Inclusive Security is a program of Hunt Alternatives Fund.