Women at the Table: Identifying Factors through Which Women Have the Opportunity to Influence Peace Agreement Design

Abstract

AbstractUnited Nations Resolution 1325 asks all participants of peace talks to take on a gender perspective during negotiations. Consequently, the overall proportion of women participating in peace negotiations has increased; with this increase, more gender-specific topics are placed on the agenda of peace talks. However, because women are often invited to the negotiation table for window-dressing purposes only, the question arises: how do women at the negotiation table influence the scope and specificity of peace agreements regarding gender provisions? We argue that to influence peace agreements regarding gender provisions, delegates need to have the willingness and the opportunity to push for their inclusion. In our theoretical argument, we identify different factors through which female delegates have the opportunity to do so. Analyzing the peace processes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Philippines, South Sudan, and Nepal we find that a combination of factors at and aside the negotiation table allows women to influence peace talks regarding the inclusion and specificity of gender provisions in peace agreements. Our findings imply that women need to have the opportunity to influence the talks; their sole presence does not suffice for the implementation of Resolution 1325.