In October 2000, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325. It calls for women to be included in peace processes. To this day, however, they are rarely seen at the negotiating table.
Those who decide on peace also decide what it means. For many women, peace means first and foremost being able to leave the house and live free from violence. They treat the wounded, mediate in times of tension, and document human rights violations. But the funding is lacking: Less than one percent of global funding for gender equality reaches women’s rights organizations on the ground.
Eva Gutensohn spoke with Jarai Sabally and Katrina Avilla about this and other issues. They are deputy executive directors of the Frontline Women’s Fund in New York, which provides direct support to women’s groups in crisis-stricken areas—in Afghanistan, the Congo, Libya, and Syria. The discussion centers on why women are excluded from peace negotiations, what needs to change so that they can have a say in decision-making, and what peace actually means to them.