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Women's Agency in Post-Conflict Reconciliation in Colombia, Sri Lanka and Uganda 

13 March 2023 | International Peace Institute, New York

This event was held on Monday 13th March at the International Peace Institute (IPI), New York.

The International Peace Institute (IPI) and the Gender, Justice and Security Hub hosted a discussion on Women’s Agency in Post-Conflict Reconciliation in the contexts of Colombia, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

This event shared research findings on women’s roles in post-conflict reconciliation in Colombia, Sri Lanka, and Uganda, as well as potential synergies between women peacebuilders in all three contexts. Across these cases, women have appeared prominently among the victims of war. They also face complex challenges in overcoming the legacies of war, rebuilding their livelihoods and communities, and confronting the horrors of the past. When women feel empowered and have agency, they can become strong advocates for and facilitators of reconciliation processes, as well as peacebuilders in their communities. 

Speakers:

  • Welcome and Introduction: Jenna Russo ( @jennabrusso ), Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations at IPI, and Dr Kirsten Ainley ( @kirstenainley ), Co-Principal Investigator the Gender, Justice and Security Hub
  • Chair: Dr Phoebe Donnelly ( @PhoebsG86 ), Senior Fellow and Head of Women, Peace and Security at IPI
  • Dr Angelika Rettberg ( @rettberg_a ), Professor in the Political Science Department at Universidad de los Andes and a Co-Director of the Gender, Justice and Security Hub.
  • Visaka Dharmadasa ( @venuwan ), founder of the Association of War Affected Women in Sri Lanka, and project partner on the Gender, Justice and Security Hub.
  • Dr Josephine Ahikire ( @Josephineahiki1 ), Associate Professor of Gender Studies in the School of Women and Gender Studies, Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Makerere University, and Co-Director on the UKRI GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub
  • Pablo Castillo Díaz ( @pcastillodiaz ), Policy Specialist on Peace and Security at UN Women.

Image credit:  Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)