Advancing the Role of Women Political Leaders in Peace and Security

The conference “Advancing the Role of Women Political Leaders in Peace and Security,” jointly organized by Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND) and the EastWest Institute’s Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention (PN), opened in Rabat today, November 18, 2014. Female political leaders and legislators from the United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the MENA region, including Egypt, Libya, and Morocco convene to further advance the role of women in peace and security.

“Bringing together women peacemakers in Morocco, land of tolerance, peace and diversity, links the west to the east on common issues and challenges about conflict prevention and peace management.” – Loubna Amhaïr MP, Member of the Moroccan House of Representatives 

The conference will build on the progress of two prior meetings of women parliamentarians held in 2013 by WAND and PN. Since then, the humanitarian and security situation in parts of the Middle East has dramatically deteriorated with the increase in violent extremism, exemplified by the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and a U.S.-led military intervention in the region.

“The escalating violence and instability in parts of the Middle East lends new urgency to our efforts to convene women leaders in the region and from the U.S. We share views and build trust across national boundaries. We are resolved to act together on our shared commitment to strengthen the role of women across the globe in building sustainable peace.” – Nan Grogan Orrock, Georgia State Senator; President, Women Legislators’ Lobby of WAND

Meetings are also scheduled with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Moroccan House of Representatives, the Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development, and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. In addition to those meetings, the conference will provide a forum for dialogue between women leaders in order to:

• Strengthen the role of women lawmakers and women leaders in all political processes, particularly on matters of peace and security;
• Enhance regional cooperation between women parliamentarians as well as cooperation with female legislators in the U.S.;
• Educate U.S. lawmakers on peace and security issues through in-person exchanges and increase their capacity to shape policy in the U.S.;
• Establish concrete ways for women leaders to implement the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in their own countries and as a coalition.

For more information about the event, please contact Anna Mitri at amitri@ewi.info or Julie L. Arostegui, J.D. at jarostegui@wand.org.

Please use #womenmakepeace to tweet about or follow the event.