Women at the negotiating table

Women play a crucial role in peace building processes around the world, but their role is rarely recognised. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who build bridges between communities at war with each other.

Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer led the peace talks between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. In 2014 she made history by becoming the first woman chief negotiator to sign a major peace accord with an armed group. She taught political science at the University of the Philippines and works on mediation initiatives with different international organisations.

Ameya Kilara is a lawyer and mediator from India whose work focuses on facilitating dialogue across the Line of Control in Kashmir. She’s currently working with the NGO Inter Mediate and is the Founder and Director of the South Asian Leadership Initiative, a programme dedicated to building peace in the region. She’s also a member of Women Mediators across the Commonwealth, a network supporting women-led peace building initiatives. Produced by Alice Gioia (Image: (L) Ameya Kilara, courtesy of Ameya Kilara. (R) Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, courtesy of Miriam Coronel-Ferrer)