This week, the UN High-Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies celebrates ten years. Initiated by the UN, the forum was set up in 2013 to bring together the world’s leading mediation actors, to share insights and experiences on women’s inclusion in peace processes.
The global seminar is a collaborative effort and is jointly organized by the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security, CMI – the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and the UN Department of Peacekeeping and Political Affairs. Since its establishment in 2013, it has been organized every year, except between 2020 and 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred. It is supported by the governments of Norway and Finland.
Torunn L. Tryggestad, Deputy Director of PRIO and Director of the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security, has attended the seminar every year since it was established. “During this 10 year period we have witnessed a clear shift in global commitment to women’s inclusion in peace processes. Still, we have a long way to go until women are fully included in both the design and implementation of peace processes.”
The seminar offers a platform to share experiences, challenges and practical strategies for inclusive mediation. It builds on participants’ knowledge in dealing with complex mediation situations and experiences of handling multiple dilemmas related to inclusion. It offers practical strategies and tools for more inclusive mediation process design and conflict assessment. It also provides advise on gender relevant provisions for key thematic areas, such as conflict-related sexual violence, in ceasefire and peace agreements.
This year’s high-level seminar will take place from 9 to 11 May in Porvoo, Finland.
- For more information on the event, contact PRIO’s Communication Director, Michelle Delaney on 0047 941 65 579 or by email at michelle@prio.org.
