Inclusive Security and UN Women host the South Sudan Gender Symposium

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Gender Symposia During Donor Conferences: A Model to Guarantee Women Leaders A Voice in Setting Priorities for Reconstruction

Donor conferences are critical for focusing global attention on a country’s post-conflict priorities. Key decision mak­ers representing the post-conflict country as well as bilateral and multilateral donors from around the world gather to define a path to peace and prosperity for a war-torn society. Sector experts present long-term needs assessments for analysis and discussion. Aid agencies announce pledges of financial and technical assistance.

Women are essential partners in rebuilding after war. Often the majority of the post-conflict population, women regularly maintain their communities through years of violence. They possess critical knowledge of local priorities and needs. Frequently, they are better trusted by conflict survivors and less tainted by the conflict than men. Along with their dependent children, women are also usually the majority of the displaced and most vulnerable.

Despite women’s central importance to reconstruction, they are regularly marginalized by the donor assistance pledging process. Women and other civil society leaders are only sporadically consulted in determining reconstruc­tion priorities and needs. Male government representatives dominate donor conference delegations.

A gender symposium held in conjunction with an international donor conference can help provide women and civil society with a voice in reconstruction. Such a parallel conference enables women from the aid-receiving country to highlight priorities to donors. It provides a venue for policymakers from around the world to consult with women representing diverse constituencies. It also offers female leaders from the conflict zone the opportunity to build relationships with key decision makers.

In conjunction with recent donor conferences for Liberia and Sudan, The Institute for Inclusive Security organized gender symposia that focused attention on female leaders and on women’s needs and priorities in reconstruction.

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