REFRACT CONFLICT CAFÉ
Negotiating Gender in Fragile and Conflict- Affected Settings
19.11.2024 |
5:30pm-7:30pm
To register, click HERE.
This roundtable brings together leading experts to explore critical issues at the intersection of gender, security, and peacebuilding in some of the most challenging fragile and conflict-affected regions, with a focus on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Niger and Mali.
Last month’s UN Security Council annual open debate on the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda highlighted the mounting pushback against women’s rights and gender equality in many parts of the world, and the privileging of military action and military spending over inclusive political processes to address conflict. Against this background, the Conflict Café discussion will delve into the complexities of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the DRC, the often overlooked roles of women combatants and local “ fixers” in the Great Lakes, and the influence of religious leaders in peace negotiations in the Sahel.
Our participants will present insights based on groundbreaking research on how gender dynamics shape both conflict and peace processes. The conversation will include an examination of recent international initiatives aimed at addressing SGBV, the integration of women in peacebuilding roles, and the engagement of religious and community leaders to foster dialogue and conflict resolution. Together, they will highlight the importance of local and gendered perspectives in the implementation of the WPS agenda, offering a coherent narrative on how inclusive approaches are vital for sustainable peace and security.
REFRACT ( Resilience and Fragility in Action) is a DGD-funded policy support program and research collaboration between the Conflict Research Group (UGent), UCLouvain, KULeuven, Gec-sh based in DRCongo, and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST) based in Burkina Faso. REFRACT focuses on the HDP Nexus, the localization of aid, civil space and the principle of leaving no one behind, the political economy of conflict and civil war, as well as new methodological and epistemological challenges and tools for research and policy in fragile contexts. Additionally, it includes a Gender Lab.