More women more peace

Today we are again celebrating International Women’s Day.

Last year, I had the opportunity to comment on this page why gender equality is a win-win situation for individuals and societies.

I highlighted, in particular, the need for legal, political and economic empowerment of women to promote positive change and sustainable development.

This year, I would like to focus on the crucial role of women in building peace and security.  In fact, women, peace and security are in focus for the implementation of Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy for 2016.

Our first priority is to strengthen the human rights of women and girls in humanitarian crises.

For example, here in Jordan, the majority of Syrian refugees are women and children. It is crucial that humanitarian efforts adequately meet the needs of all — women, men, girls and boys.

Sweden has decided it will only fund programmes that are based on an assessment of the different needs and capacities of women and men to cope with an emergency.

Sweden’s second priority is to combat sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Throughout the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, women and girls are targeted because of their gender.

Sexual violence is systematic and used by all warring parties, including as a weapon of war.

The conflicts have had a detrimental impact on norms in society. One example is the increase in child marriages.

Gender-based violence has also increased within families. Regrettably, we are seeing an increase of sexual and gender-based violence also in neighbouring countries.

However, sexual and gender-based violence is not only a humanitarian issue. It is a development issue too.

It is imperative that wartime norms are not transferred into future peace.

Combatting this violence is therefore a priority in Sweden’s new regional development cooperation strategy for the Syria crisis.

Through this five-year strategy, Sweden will increase its efforts to prevent sexual and gender-based violence, as well as support local capacity to provide services and dignified rehabilitation for victims, both inside Syria and in host communities in Jordan and Lebanon.

And thirdly, Sweden wants to promote a stronger participation of women as actors in peace negotiations as well as in reconciliation and peace building efforts.

The UN Security Council has recognised the importance of including women for more sustainable peace.

The experiences of men and women in war are different. Both perspectives are equally important for building peace.

Women, more often than men, have experiences from war as civilians. Women organisations and women leaders have knowledge, experience and expertise that must be brought to the table, both at the global and the local level.

This is why Sweden is actively working to facilitate and empower Syrian women for their inclusion in the upcoming peace talks in Geneva, as well as in local peace-building efforts.

In line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, Sweden also places particular emphasis on gender issues in UN peace-support operations.

Swedish and Jordanian police are currently involved in a positive cooperation on pre-deployment training for participation in UN police missions.

In fact, gender-sensitive police work and increased participation of women are key elements in this cooperation.

Women’s inclusion and participation is crucial to achieving effective, successful and, not least, sustainable peace.

This requires proactive efforts, leadership and adequate financing in order to bring about real change.

It goes without saying that Sweden can only implement its feminist foreign policy in partnership with stakeholders around the world: governments, parliaments, civil society, private sector, bilateral and multilateral partners.

To sum up, gender equality is both a goal in itself and an instrument to reach other goals, such as sustainable peace and development.

Women are needed for peace to come about and for peace to sustain.

The Middle East region is in dire need of peace to advance its aspirations for economic and social development. Consequently, there is a dire need to include women in the promotion of sustainable peace and security for all.

The writer is ambassador of Sweden to Jordan. She contributed this article to The Jordan Times.