This online dialogue will bring together experts on women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and sustaining peace, and people who are actively involved in peace processes at various levels. Based on their real life experience and practical work, they will address the obstacles and opportunities for the meaningful participation of women in peace processes in the times of COVID-19.
PERMANENT MISSIONS OF NORWAY TO THE UN AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS IN GENEVA & NEW YORK
UPDATE
Connected or muted?
New opportunities for women’s participation in peace processes
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Live webinar on Wednesday 6th May 2020 at 15:00 Geneva-time / 09:00 New York-time Organised by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The event will be streamed on regjeringen.no. Please connect early.
The audience is invited to submit questions before and during the event here. Please use the code 672661.
Selected questions will be presented to the panellists by the moderator.
Panellists
Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway
Mr. Miroslav Jenča, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas
Mr. Geir O. Pedersen, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria
Ms. Mavic Cabrera Balleza, Chief Executive Officer of The Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
Ms. Sanam Naraghi Anderlini MBE, Founder and CEO of International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
& Director of the Centre for Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics
Ms. Sylvia R. Thompson, mediator for the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI)
Moderator
M. Lyse Doucet, Chief International Correspondent and Senior Presenter for BBC World News television
& BBC World Service Radio.
Co-Convener
Ms. Marita Sørheim-Rensvik, Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security,
the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Context
Government measures to combat COVID-19 have wide-ranging implications for women’s participation in decision-making processes, including peace processes and national and international political processes. Quarantine, lock downs and closed borders may affect women’s ability to meaningfully participate both physically and virtually in decision-making processes affecting their lives. At the same time, increasing access to mobile phones and use of virtual meeting platforms could also amplify women’s participation if they are connected and empowered to do so.
This online dialogue will bring together experts on women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and sustaining peace, and people who are actively involved in peace processes at various levels. Based on their real life experience and practical work, they will address the obstacles and opportunities for the meaningful participation of women in peace processes in the times of COVID-19.
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