Peace Agreements Don't Address Women's Concerns: Paulomi Tripathi At UN

Majority of peace agreements signed in the last three decades do not involve even a single woman signatory, Paulomi Tripathi, First Secretary in India's permanent mission to the UN observed while speaking at Peacebuilding Commission's Ambassadorial Level Meeting on “Strengthening Linkages between Women, Peace and Security & Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace.”  She also expressed her concern about the fact that most of the peace agreements “fail to reference women and address their concerns, such as gender-based violence.”

Tripathi also observed that there's a need to incentivise participation of all women's units. Also, providing pre-deployment training on gender sensitisation to the peacemakers adds to another important aspect

Key Takeaways:

• Paulomi Tripathi is First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations. Permanent Mission of India is the formal title of the Indian delegation to the UN.
• While speaking at the Peacebuilding Commission's Ambassadorial Level Meeting on Monday, she lamented the underrepresentation of women in peacemaking and conflict solving processes.
• She also observed how a number of peace agreements fail to address women's concerns, such as gender-based violence.
• A study conducted by Dominic D.P. Johnson and the company shows that women tend to analyse more, and the possibility of indulging in negotiated agreements is also more in the case of women.

Inspite of the well recognised fact that women are more effective in conflict solving and peace making agreements, only 6 percent of peacemakers are women at the UN.

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Women In Peace Making Processes- Effective Yet Underrepresented

“Despite recognition of women's contributions to preventing, resolving conflicts and post-conflict reconstruction, they are often excluded from negotiations during peace processes,” Tripathi said. “There is an urgent need to institutionalise the involvement of women in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction. This requires not only normative advice but also commitment, capacity and institution building at the ground level,” she added. She noted how women play an active role in not only providing early warning signals but also prevent the escalation of violence. Therefore, it is advisable to include more women in peacekeeping process.

A study by Dominic D.P. Johnson shows that men are more likely to be overconfident than women. This means that men are more likely to indulge in attacking the enemy than women. The research also shows that women tend to analyse more, and the possibility of indulging in negotiated agreements is also more in the case of women. So, in a warlike scenario, women will first seek out ways to resolve and not attack. However, in spite of such strong commitments, only six percent of peacemakers at the UN are women.

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A Need To Incentivise Participation Of All Women's Units

Tripathi also observed that there's a need to incentivise participation of all women's units. Also, providing pre-deployment training on gender sensitisation to the peacemakers adds to another important aspect. She stressed on the fact that India, under South-South Co-operation is dedicated, and continues its efforts towards women's empowerment and participation. “India follows the demand-driven approach in its developmental assistance which naturally dovetails into the national priorities of the recipient country and builds local capacity,” she said.

Picture Credit: Mumbai Mirror

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