21 years have passed since the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, and a new generation of women peacebuilders have emerged, courageous and imaginative enough to take on the challenges posed by complex conflicts, seeking non-violent solutions. But as this agenda comes of age, the systemic and institutional changes needed to realise its promise remain mired in apathy, ad hockery and amnesia. Conflicts are not being prevented, rather they continue to be fueled and increasingly driven by private interests. Peace processes continue to be exclusive domains designed more to allay the concerns of international actors and warring parties, than to bring peace and security to civilians. Gender responsiveness is still a struggle for humanitarian operations, and women’s representation in peacekeeping operations remains limited.
In this month’s “Coming of Age of WPS: 21 in 2021” event, Sanam Naraghi Anderlini MBE will talk with three generations of Women peacebuilders: Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, a pioneer, whose work is among the inspirational forces behind the agenda; Enass Muzamel, a humanitarian practitioner and human rights activist, spearheading civic and youth engagement; and Ahlem Nasraoui, a leader and influencer, embracing new methods and practices for peacebuilding.
Speakers:
- Dr. Hanan Ashrawi (@DrHananAshrawi) is a distinguished Palestinian leader, legislator, activist, and scholar, making history as the first woman to hold a seat in the highest executive body in Palestine. Dr Ashrawi served as the official spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East peace process and as a civil society activist, has founded the Independent Commission for Human Rights, MIFTAH, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, and the National Coalition for Accountability and Integrity. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the “d'Officier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur”, and eleven honorary doctorates from universities across the world.
- Enass Muzamel (@EnassMuzamel2) is a Sudanese development practitioner and civil society activist who has worked with various UN and international agencies focusing on governance, gendered peacebuilding and advocacy. Since 2017, she is known as the founder of the Sudanese Female Cyclists Initiative, which promotes women’s participation in outdoor sports and access to public space. She is an outspoken supporter of the Sudanese pro-democracy movement in national and international media and has been actively involved in the Sudanese uprising since December 2018. She currently works with Mandaniya an organization she co-founded in 2019 which promotes civic education and engagement with young groups.
- Ahlem Nasraoui (@NasraouiAhlem) is an accomplished leader, serial awardee, and influencer for inclusive youth engagement with marginalized groups. After finishing her Masters degree in Business Communication, she worked to support the Tunisian Democratic Transition. Ms. Nasraoui is the founder of the Young Leaders Entrepreneurs Association, which has managed hackathons, boot-camps, and startups supporting the democratic transition through youth leadership coaching. In 2016, she was selected by the State Department as a top 10 young emerging leader. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Security, Peacebuilding, and Diplomacy at Loughborough University, London as part of the 20/21 Chevening Scholarship cohort.
- Sanam Naraghi Anderlini (@sanambna) is Director of the LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security and the founder of The International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN).
This event is co-hosted by The International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) and The Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy.
Image credit: UN Women (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)