Why women’s coalitions are crucial to transforming gendered power dynamics in peace and security

Inclusive Peace has been supporting women’s coalitions in a range of contexts since its founding. Our latest work includes convening leaders of women’s coalitions from Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Yemen. Get an overview of why this work is important and what it implies in this blog.

What is a women’s coalition? A women’s coalition is a term used to describe alliances of women-led organisations, women activists and women rights defenders that come together to work towards a common goal. Coalition’s typically involve civil society actors, though in many instances also cross sectoral boundaries, bringing together women engaged in politics, business, religion, and cultural fields.

Why are they important in transforming gender dynamics in peace and security? Women’s coalitions play a key role in advocating for women’s rights and ensuring that issues important to women are included in peace agreements and political policies. In many contexts, women’s coalitions have had a key role in ensuring gender inclusive mechanisms, including quotas and delegations, while also ensuring more effective and inclusive implementation of peace agreements.

Why do women’s coalitions need to convene? Women’s coalitions can benefit greatly from sharing comparative insights and experiences in relation to their respective efforts to meaningfully influence and engage in peace and political transition processes. Comparing notes on strategies for coalition-building, countering elite resistance, and on ensuring protection are just a few examples of issues which can be valuable to share experiences and lessons learned around.

Why is Inclusive Peace’s expertise needed? IP has expertise in facilitating these exchanges that allows members of the coalitions to get inspired, recharge on motivation and collective energy and strategize together for future actions.

What happened during the peer exchanges: IP convened women from seven African countries in December 2022 and May 2023 to share their experiences of forming and working in women’s coalitions during different political, transition, and peace processes. Inclusive Peace provides ongoing accompaniment, including technical and strategic advice, to women’s coalitions before, during, and after these engagements.

Where has IP supported women’s coalitions? Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen

At our latest convention of women’s coalitions from seven African countries in May 2023, we caught the founder of Women in Mediators Network (WiMNet), Uduak Udofia and asked her for her insights on the importance women’s coalitions, why she is motivated to do the work she is doing and why gender-responsive laws and agreements are so important.

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