Peace building needs more women leading the talks

As conflicts increase around the world, women must be made a part of the resolution mechanisms. Studies across regions show that women's participation in peace negotiations leads to better and more long-lasting outcomes, bringing different perspectives, empathy, and strategies to the table.

- Lalita Panicker

Despite these findings, a 2024 United Nations (UN) report revealed that women made up only 7% of negotiators, with many peace talks taking place without any women’s involvement. This glaring gap points to missed opportunities for more sustainable peace. The importance of women’s participation and leadership in conflict prevention, resolution, peacebuilding, and recovery is an absolute necessity. Recognising this, the global community, led by efforts such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325, has promoted the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda for 25 years. Coinciding with this, 2025 marked the silver jubilee of Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP) —whose work predates even the UN's, WPS initiative. WISCOMP was a pioneer long before the international community began to widely recognise the importance of gendersensitive approaches in conflict resolution.