Introduction to Gender

In October 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, which officially recognized and reaffirmed the important roles of women across the entire spectrum of peace processes. Yet, 25 years having passed since Resolution 1325 was passed, women are still significantly underrepresented and unrecognized in efforts to resolve conflicts and ensure lasting peace. The three chapters in this section reflect on the role of women, urging for greater recognition of women’s roles and their agendas in peace processes. Carolina Rehrmann’s contribution, “Made for Goodness? Women, Ethnic Conflict, and Reconciliation,” draws upon examples from Cyprus to showcase how adept women are at navigating highly sensitive and volatile (post) conflict settings, thereby challenging traditional patriarchal structures and nationalist affiliations to facilitate peace and reconciliation. Elisabet le Roux’s chapter, “The Role of Women in Peace Processes: Challenging the Status Quo,” draws on examples from Liberia, Burundi, Sudan, and Sierra Leone to explore the diverse ways women are involved in informal peace processes while being marginalized in formal ones, arguing for a fundamental reimagining of peace processes. Katherine Marshall’s chapter “Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation: Where are the Women?” delves into the reasons and mechanisms behind the frequent absence of women in various aspects of war and peace, emphasizing how the broader conflict transformation field can benefit from appreciating the complex roles that women play.