Women in Peace Negotiations: Insights for Outcomes and Implementation

1. Peace Negotiations:Outcomes and ImplementationMonica McWilliamsGender Justice DialogueFrom Belfast to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

2. BEFORE CEASEFIRES DURING A PEACE PROCESS NEGOTIATING AT THE TABLE AFTER THE ACCORD: IN RETROSPECT WHAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON LESSONS FROM ONE PEACE PROCESS

3. NETWORK BUILDING OVER THE YEARS Stage One: Civil Rights Activism Stage Two: Civic Society Activists/Trade Unions Stage Three: Conflict and Conflicted Activism Stage Four: Peace Activism Stage Five: Feminist Activism Stage Six: Party Political Activism

4. A range of movements Building Experience of Organising and fundraising Developing political skills ( small p Vs big P politics) Linking Global and local Campaigns from Nuclear Disarmament (Greenpeace) and Anti-apartheid

5. Accidental Activism: giving space to a range of views Domestic Violence Rape Crisis Action on Debt Poverty Lobby Housing Campaigns

6. Welfare Not Warfare

7. Reaching out to each other

8. Women crossing into each other’s territory

9. Women Crossing over into new territory: building international links Cross Border South Africa Latin America Middle East Balkans Cyprus

10. Masculism and Militarism: Women’s Resistance

11. DIFFERENCES EXISTED

12. Winning support for divisive policies Acknowledging differences in the campaign to stop the strip-searching of female prisoners

13. Women Demand the Ceasefires Remain

14. Peace Activists: But Peace With Justice

15. Civic Leadership is Important The role of women in peace building - from the local to the global.

16. The Ceasefires: A Time of Transition

17. Building the Women’s Coalition Entering party politics: Breaking down barriers and confronting stereotypes

18. So the peace negotiations begin : but be aware To get a broad platform of women together that encompasses family feminists and radical feminists as well as a range of women in between can be difficult Expect a backlash from women in other parties Expect bullying and male bonding. In a contested society, options put forward by women will be in danger of being branded as diversionary or collaborationist

19. Women combatants and women in established parties were suspicious and obstructive at the start

20. The Inside Track – how do women get on it? Peace processes can move rapidly at this stage Governments tend to be comfortable with the accustomed faces Novelty can be destabilising and unwelcome Get familiar with the key documents, structures and systems Identify trusted individuals to inform and brief you

21. Trusted individuals: Mo Mowlam On The Inside

22. Get to grips with the process Work the (electoral) system to your benefit Break down the tasks and make them manageable ( the kitchen table campaign) Identify the skills that are there and fill the gaps by bringing in the expertise – seek and you shall find! And not always in the universities!! Adopt a set of principles – papers and policies can come later Be prepared for the media – ‘the hen’s party comes home to roost’!

23. Thinking Outside the Box Calculated risk taking – present issues in a new light Identify any weak points (or controversial issues) and prepare a war chest of responses Ensure that women’s projects will not be victimised if activists enter politics Build a broad base without compromising core principles – rooted in identity but shifting in learning and understanding

24. Forum for Dialogue and Understanding ….or Monologue and Misunderstanding!

25. Inclusion works Cross checking and cross community validation Dialogue across differences – makes for more informed negotiators Membership development takes time for inclusiveness to work Give roles to ‘unusual suspects’ – find spokespersons that challenge their own community Journalists will look for a leader rather than joint leadership – take time to explain your approach

26. At the table Find out the divisions and tension points – dedicate a member to each party and keep briefing notes. Note-takers are important. Create social contacts and informal settings Pay attention to the process – seat enemies alphabetically around the table Be clear about your bottom line demands and adopt tactics that will get other parties to focus on issues that benefit women

27. Winning Credibility Learn the formalities and put them to use Get comprehensive briefings about the details Understand the implementation process Who is responsible for what What is the timetable Will there be resources Draw on approaches from other agreements Respond to position papers

28. Keeping everyone on board When some are excluded – work hard to get them back and mobilise optimism at this time Men will behave badly but avoid preaching at them – exploit bad behaviour and name calling Walk the line between confidentiality and transparency – don’t be bound by rules that others disregard and don’t be a door-keeper Don’t forget your roots – use community sector expertise, brief your supporters

29. An eye on the future Collective decision making takes time Find a balance between the optimists and realists Credit the organisational skills as well as the strategic – fundraisers are also crucial Have a forward looking policy team as well as those involved in the details Find the training for the context Keep your organisation clean – don’t hire family

30. The Good Friday Peace Agreement 1998 – before UN 1325

32. Agreement reached and the hard work starts

33. Learning in Retrospect Keep looking for champions Be a role model but keep your feet on the ground Use the international attention to build credibility Have a clear media strategy – don’t get pigeon holed If you are deemed not ‘real politicians’ then question how real politics has become distorted Create spaces for dialogue to continue – it can get lost when the ‘hard tongue’ replaces the gun.

34. Hilary Clinton – championing credibility for women

35. Old Problems need new questions Create new pathways of communication – back alleys and rat runs are useful Politics can foster individualism – keep looking for ways to promote the collective Explain new approach carefully – it takes time for some to catch up or understand Special measures are needed or women will disappear from the process

36. Keep an eye on reconstruction Support measures for women should be prioritised – don’t allow these to be stood down Women need to be prepared to put themselves forward – develop a thick skin Gender proof – the ‘soft’ issues (civic forums and victims) are important and can get lost in subsequent ‘elitist’ negotiations Women’s rights are human rights – women are not just looking after themselves!

37. But who gets these rights?

38. After all we have been through – getting women’s rights recognised is still a battle Will the Bill of Rights entrench protections that have been long fought for? Will it be the foundational document with which women can identify?

39. Decommissioning, prisoner releases, new forms of governance all agreed but what is still at dispute… Democratic rights Public authorities must take effective measures to facilitate the full and equal participation of women in political and public life, including, where appropriate, the use of temporary special measures. The membership of public bodies must, as far as practicable, be representative of society in Northern Ireland.

40. What Lessons Have Been Learned Mainstreaming a gender analysis at an early stage may lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the realities of conflict and the meaning of security The grass roots and not just the elites have to be involved in decision-making It must be democratic, inclusive and just Women are good negotiators, accomplished at reconciling antagonistic differences and need to have their rights respected

41. Gender Justice The importance of monitoring eg the role of women in decision making UN Resolution (Security Council) 1325 Using benchmarks to assess the inclusion of women’s rights as a security issue Making assessments of the extent of the involvement of civic society as stakeholders Continually review where women are at in decision making levels of all public spheres: legislation, education, health, housing, employment, social services, judiciary and media Emphasise the importance of women’s human rights in all the new institutions (policing, criminal justice, health) Challenge (sexual) exploitation in all its forms.

42. Key Lessons That Are Still Being Worked On An electoral system with special measures - timetables and targets have to be included. Women appointed to oversight bodies –not just men. Victims of the conflict and the reintegration of prisoners – women’s needs have to be addressed as well. Foundational documents must include women’s rights. Transformative politics needs Community women’s projects.

43. Other key lessons still being worked on Women in civic society are important stakeholders. They are the Early Warning Systems and can introduce creative solutions to preventing further conflict Capacity building programmes which build skills and confidence need to be funded at the community level Women should be identified as spokespersons. Encourage women to come forward and take up the ‘serious’ positions. Women do ‘the heavy lifting’ with creative thinking – so let’s be seen and heard!

44. Let’s Celebrate How Far We Have Come But Pass on the Banners – For There are Still Mountains to Move