By Mary Capone, UNA-NCA Program Assistant
On May 22, 2025, the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area hosted a compelling webinar to discuss the current state of international peacebuilding and the integral role of women in peace negotiations. The panel discussion was moderated by Kim Weichel, former UNA-NCA Advisory Council Chair and CEO of Weichel & Associates. She was joined by three distinguished panelists: Liz Hume, Executive Director at Alliance for Peacebuilding; Mariam Jalabi, Co-Founder of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement; and Katherine Marshall, Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, and Professor of the Practice of Development, Religion, and Conflict in the School of Foreign Service. The panelists convened to discuss a pressing matter in the international community: the integration of local women into peacebuilding.
Women endure disproportionate impacts of conflict, violence, and displacement. As poignantly noted by Mariam, “When a woman does not have food to put on her table, when the country is so devastated that 95% lives under the poverty line – and most of those are women – a lot of women have lost the men in their family and their breadwinners, and they're trying to make ends meet… that’s violence against women.” Despite their vulnerability, women remain grossly underrepresented in formal peacebuilding processes. According to UN Women in 2023, women comprised less than 10% of negotiators, 14% of mediators, and 27% of peace process signatories. Yet, research supports that peace agreements involving women are more likely to succeed. In fact, Kim acknowledged that half of all peace treaties fail within five years when women are excluded from negotiations. Reflecting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals promoting gender equality, reducing inequalities, and fostering peace, justice, and strong institutions, the panel sought to advocate for diverse gender inclusion in peace work.
Kim first asked Liz to assess the current landscape of women in security and peacebuilding. As the field evolves, Liz maintains that the work is “not linear” and women owe it to former and subsequent generations of women to continue to combat gender discrimination. Liz also emphasized the importance of focusing on women’s successes as opposed to merely what is lacking. Liz also advocated for funding for international organizations like the UN to create reform and support diversity despite restructuring. This includes efforts to hold perpetrators of violence against women accountable. Liz exemplified the funding of data tracking for atrocities against women in real-time in Ukraine as a data-based method of understanding violent trends and saying “never again.” Overall, the fight against gender discrimination relies on international organizations maintaining a collective focus on prioritizing equality and diverse voices.
Mariam proceeded with her experiences working with Syrian women, citing the numerous changes in women’s rights since the 2011 Arab Spring. She explained that local women are the actors who are on the ground and bearing the brunt of violence and displacement, making them crucial political advisors. In Mariam’s words, it is “crucial for the UN to be localizing and localizing and localizing, and working with people on the ground, and specifically women, to make a real difference.” Women’s political participation means liberation and independence from patriarchal oppression. Mariam cited the inspiring story of a woman who traveled to Damascus for two days only two weeks after giving birth to her daughter named Salam (meaning “peace” in Arabic) to attend a conference. This woman’s story reflects many women’s commitment to being involved in women’s empowerment. Women everywhere continue to fight to be involved in high-level policy decisions as they maintain the social fabric of society, despite political and financial power being concentrated in a small group of men. Mariam reiterated, “Without women at the table, we cannot guarantee peace and democracy.” Mariam described today’s current situation as a wake-up call to ignite solidarity amongst feminists across communities and nations.
Katherine pushed the topic of women in peacebuilding further by dissecting their role. She argued, “This work for peace is not just being at a table and negotiating exactly what the terms of disarmament will be; it is much more the kind of society we want to build… the cohesion within the society, including the ability to deal with difference.” Katherine outlined the distinction between peacebuilding and peacemaking, explaining how peacebuilding is not simply creating peace; rather, it involves the entire UN system across multiple levels to hear the most vulnerable voices. A multilateral approach is the key to combating violence against women. Above all, Katherine called for a recentering of the core values of empathy, compassion, and peace amongst communities. Furthermore, Katherine discussed the need for implementation in a system that often prioritizes fine-tuned deliberation. Real progress requires action, and Katherine underscored the current issues with websites shutting down, funding cuts, and even the scrubbing of vocabulary like “women” and “gender.” International organizations must shine a light on women making efforts for change and increase visibility to build cohesion across communities.
The panel brought together an excellent moderator, who asked thought-provoking questions of the three expert panelists, each of whom contributed their personal experiences in the field. In an evolving world of peacebuilding and gender equality, now more than ever, there is a need for feminist solidarity and advocacy in international organizations. Violence against women, whether indirect or direct, is a vastly reaching issue and requires the inclusion of local women in peacebuilding to resolve. As discussed by Liz, Mariam, and Katherine, focusing on diversity, dedication, and implementation is necessary to advance progress.
