2020 marks the twentieth anniversary of UN Resolution 1325, which works to “ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels… for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict.”
In efforts to better align our community with the Women*, Peace, and Security (WPS) initiative, IPF Atid commits to advancing women’s involvement, expertise, and leadership in Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding and Jewish communal affairs.
*By ‘women,’ we refer to cisgender women, trans women, and anyone who identifies with the term ‘woman.’
"Given today's polarized environment, it is critically important to have diverse voices involved at the table and to make a special inclusion of women. With IPF Atid staff and leadership, I look forward to introducing the WPS Initiative to Jewish and policy communities throughout the U.S."
— Rachel Wallace, WPS Chair
HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED?
~Host a conversation, Shabbat dinner, or other meet-up with IPF Atid’s WPS Initiative~
~Attend a related public program and invite your network~
~Share and post online when you come across a noteworthy – or troubling – development in the field of women, peace and security~
~Join the IPF Atid WPS Initiative~
UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
~ Sign the Gender Avenger Pledge by clicking here. ~
“I will not serve as a panelist at a public conference when there are no women on the panel.”
~ View Israel Policy Forum’s events calendar here. ~
Stay tuned for future opportunities by subscribing to IPF Atid’s WPS email updates.
FEATURED EXPERT SPEAKERS FOR PROGRAMS
Are you looking for additional ideas of leading expert voices to feature at an upcoming conference or program?
FROM OUR LAUNCHES IN LOS ANGELES (OCTOBER 2019) & CHICAGO (FEBRUARY 2020)
SPOTLIGHT: POLICY RESOURCES
UN Resolution 1325 was the first Security Council resolution to link women to the peace and security agenda, looking at the impact of war on women and their contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace.
The resolution consists of four pillars: 1) The role of women in conflict prevention, 2) their participation in peacebuilding, 3) the protection of their rights during and after conflict, and 4) their specific needs during repatriation, resettlement and for rehabilitation, reintegration and post-conflict reconstruction.
This brief looks at current practices and advances in mediation, including the role of women mediators and emerging women’s mediation networks, and offers recommendations for better incorporating the informal roles that women play in the formal peace processes. It draws on a Chatham House rules convening hosted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security in July 2018 to bring together expert mediators, policymakers, peace-process participants, and academics.
ADDITIONAL READING
“In Israel’s Endless Elections, Female Candidates Have Been the Biggest Losers”
Carmiel Arbit in Foreign Policy, January 27, 2020
“Women’s leadership in Israel, and around the world, has a long way to go. But if Israel wishes to be the beacon of progress that it views itself as, it will need to take tangible steps to make the vision of trailblazing female leadership a modern reality.”
“Diplomatic Alternatives First”
Yael Admi and Tami Yakira in Haaretz, August 12, 2019
“As mothers, sisters, wives, grandmothers and concerned citizens we knew that repeated rounds of fighting are not a solution. We knew that we have an obligation to demand that the decision makers promote a diplomatic agreement that would bring us closer to the quiet and security that we deserve, and that is in the interest of all of us, all parts of the nation.”
“Tear Down the Foreign-Policy Glass Ceiling”
Rosa Brooks in Foreign Policy, June 25, 2019
“The United States owes women an equal shot at leadership positions in the national security community, but it’s not just about basic fairness—it’s also about ensuring the strongest possible national security institutions. The research is clear: Put a lot of people who look pretty much alike around those decision-making tables, and you’ll get a lot of decisions that look pretty much alike. Diversify your leadership teams, and you’ll get smarter, better, more creative decisions.”
“The Week That All Jewish Women Turned Invisible”
eJewish Philanthropy, August 15, 2019
“It took a while for the men who read these suggestions to understand that they were being called-in, not called-out, and to implement changes in their own lives and respective workplaces. But soon, they were working in partnership with the women whom they respected and admired to ensure diverse voices were helping to shape the Jewish future…”
BETWEEN 1992 AND 2019 - WOMEN MADE UP:
6% of Mediators
6% of Witnesses and Signatories
13% of Negotiators in Peace Processes
As a millennial-led network focused on advancing a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians, IPF Atid represents a broad swath of pro-Israel and foreign policy young professionals who are active in Israel Policy Forum chapters and other major organizations across North American cities. In addition to impacting the present landscape, the network’s perspective is also focused on the long-term as we cultivate the next generation of stakeholders to be more nuanced, pragmatic, and inclusive.
The creation of this initiative (the first of its kind for IPF Atid) will serve to guide aspects of IPF Atid’s work through the end of 2020 and beyond in order to better elevate the discourse and mobilize support for the two-state solution. Specifically, we will work to:
- Integrate gender parity in the content of every program and initiative undertaken, whether as presenters on-stage, through featured bodies of work, or otherwise;
- Elevate women in leadership roles throughout IPF Atid structures to reflect the breadth of qualified women in the community and to inspire the involvement of others;
- Deepen our relationships with relevant thought leaders and organizations in the policy and peacebuilding communities through partnerships, writings, and innovative programming;
- Emphasize the value of all stakeholder participation, regardless of gender or background, in relevant programs and opportunities, such as through the GenderAvenger Pledge against all-male panels;
- Advocate for increased focus on Women, Peace, and Security issues in the Israeli-Palestinian context through op-eds, policy initiatives, and other means.
We know that the inclusion of women benefits societies and reconciliation processes as a whole. When discussions and negotiations are inclusive, the needs of all stakeholders are better met and the outcome agreement is better positioned to overcome barriers and spoilers. With this new initiative, IPF Atid aspires to engage more than five hundred men and five-hundred women on WPS areas of focus through fifty or more programs. We call upon our partners that share our vision and values, across the Jewish and policy communities, to join in committing to this important work.