📄 New position paper: "Pathways to Peace and Security forged by Women: An Agenda for the Americas"

Washington D.C., November 4, 2022, The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM/OAS), with the support of the Government of Italy and Liechtenstein, launched a new position paper: "Pathways to Peace and Security forged by Women: An Agenda for the Americas". Within this framework, a High-Level Dialogue was held with women leaders in the field from international, national and civil society organizations.

Although the American region lacks formal armed conflict, the deep socio-economic crisis resulting from the pandemic, prominent social polarization, and historical structural inequalities present new scenarios of "conflict" that require the development and planning of innovative policies that take into account the needs of all people. In this regard, the new CIM document proposes a reconceptualization of "security" founded on feminism, human rights and the experiences and resilience of women as the fundamental basis for peace building.

Preceded by the words of the Executive Secretary, Alejandra Mora Mora, who outlined the guidelines of this new document and the CIM’s new area of work, the dialogue delved into the importance of women's leadership. Even though women have proven to be standard bearers for a broad spectrum of security threats such as inequality, the deterioration of democracy, climate change, and violence, they continue to be marginalized in peace negotiations and processes.

Also mentioned was the relevance of having a holistic view of the security agenda that contemplates an interconnection between the private, public and also the national and international spheres. Good practices were exchanged and the main challenges to be taken into account for the future were highlighted.

The moderation was led by the Vice Chair of the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security, Ambassador Luz Elena Baños and included the participation of: Allyson Maynard-Gibson, former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs of the Bahamas; Ariela Blatter, President and CEO, Women in International Security (WIIS); Rosa Emilia Salamanca, Director of the Corporation for Research and Social and Economic Action (CIASE); Diana Lopez Castañeda, Senior Associate, Gender Associations; Mónica Bayá, Human Rights Community, Bolivia; Magdalena Talamas, Director of the Department for the Promotion of Peace, OAS.

In their closing remarks, Ambassador Georg Sparber, Permanent Observer of Liechtenstein to the OAS, and Ambassador Simone Turchetta, Permanent Observer of Italy to the OAS, stressed the importance of continuing to nurture this agenda and keeping these spaces for exchange and cooperation alive.

Relive the Dialogue by clicking here