Evidence shows that peace processes are more likely to be stable and resilient when women and other marginalised groups are included in negotiations. Yet, we continue to witness their exclusion and conflicts around the world are rising. This episode follows a successful event held in the UK parliament entitled ‘Promoting Inclusive Peace’, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security, which GAPS is secretariat to, in collaboration with the Foreign Policy Centre and University of Birmingham. We are joined by Associate Professor in International Security at the University of Brimingham, Giuditta Fontana, and co-founder of Justice Impact Lab, Fatiha Serour to consider how the needs and experiences of marginalised groups should be integrated into peace processes, to ensure local ownership and consideration of the often-forgotten root causes of conflict. Drawing on contexts including Afghanistan, Liberia and Sierra Leone, our guests guide us through the barriers to women's involvement in peace processes and avenues to subvert and move past ‘representation for representation’s sake’. Instead, we consider, how can we build the table around local expertise, including women, to establish inclusive and sustainable coalitions of peace. 

Resources mentioned:  

• Women’s Participation And A Better Understanding Of The Political, UN Women. 

• Learning from Failure: Tackling war recurrence in protracted peace processes 

• Facts and Figures: Women Peace and Security, UN Women.