Beyond the Normative: Can Women's Inclusion Really Make for Better Peace Processes?

Inclusive peace processes are slowly replacing the traditional exclusive peace deals negotiated solely between two or more armed groups. From Colombia to Libya or Myanmar, current peace processes seek to broaden participation even at the highest level of official peace negotiations. Though women often take part in these negotiations, overall mediators and policy-makers are still resistant to greater inclusion of women. This problem derives from the lack of research-based knowledge able to extend the debate beyond normative claims of the importance of women’s inclusion.

With a team of more than 30 researchers, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva has just concluded a multi-year research on “Broadening Participation in Political Negotiations and Implementation” (2011-2015) analysing how inclusion works in practice by comparing 40 in-depth case studies of peace and constitution-making negotiations and their implementation from the period 1990 to 2013. The project assessed the role of all actors included additionally alongside the main conflict parties such as civil society, religious actors, business and also women’s groups. Key findings and recommendations for mediators, donors, civil society organisations and their partners are presented here.