A seat at the table is not enough: understanding women’s substantive representation in peace processes

Skirts as Flags: Transitional Justice, Gender and Everyday Nationalism in Kosovo

“…In accounting for "gendered peace" (Pankhurst, 2008), scholars have focused on the practice of transitional justice through a range of transitional justice mechanisms, as well as the contents of peace agreements and their genderresponsive provisions (Ellerby, 2016) and formal policies pursued by post-conflict states that instrumentalize justice for wartime rape (Loken, Lake, & Cronin-Furman, 2018). The understanding of the constraints on justice seeking constituted by everyday enactment of nationhood in a post-conflict environment remains a lacuna in this scholarship.…”

Women’s Inclusion in the Malian Peace Negotiations: Norms and Practices

“…Studies have found that although it is not the only factor, women’s descriptive participation (presence) matters for their substantive participation (influence) (Ellerby 2016), and that there is a robust relationship between women signatories to peace agreements and the durability of peace (Krause et al 2018), which would support calls for direct participation. Other studies have shown that it is not women’s presence as such, but rather the degree of women’s actual influence on peace negotiations that increases the likelihood of the signing and implementation of peace agreements (Paffenholz et al 2016).…”

“…Studies of peace processes and peace negotiations as sites for the implementation of gender equality norms have often focused on textual outcomes in peace agreements (see Bell and O’Rourke 2010; Anderson 2016; Ellerby 2016). This article seeks to add to this literature by focusing on women’s inclusion in peace negotiations in practice.…”

“…The literature on women’s inclusion in peace negotiations distinguishes between descriptive representation (the presence of women’s bodies) and substantive representation (influence), and between direct (at the table) and indirect forms of participation (Ellerby 2016; Paffenholz 2018). Direct forms of participation include involvement as mediators and negotiators, as members of mediation or negotiation teams, and as civil society representatives.…”

“…Other studies have shown that it is not women’s presence as such, but rather the degree of women’s actual influence on peace negotiations that increases the likelihood of the signing and implementation of peace agreements (Paffenholz et al 2016). Existing research has further shown that it is usually women’s groups, often with the support of international partners, who are behind the promotion of gender equality norms in peace negotiations (Anderson 2016; Chang et al 2015; Ellerby 2016; Paffenholz et al 2016; Saiget 2016). Women themselves thus stand out as important actors in much of the literature, and it is often women’s advocacy that have gotten them access to or ensured their influence on the negotiations.…”