Gender and Peacebuilding

For the past two years, USIP has been deeply engaged in supporting a government’s initiative on women, peace and security. The U.S. Department of State and the USAID recently issued detailed implementation plans to carry forward the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

More than nine hundred women were “killed in the name of honor” in Pakistan in 2011, according to a new report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. In some situations, trained facilitators with the right skills can resolve the disputes and misunderstandings that might otherwise fuel “honor” killings.

Last week’s news about an Afghan woman executed publicly after being accused of adultery created outrage around the world, from the top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, to the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs. President Hamid Karzai called for the arrest of the killers, said by the U.S. and Afghan officials to be members of the Taliban. Kathleen Kuehnast takes a look at the horrific killing of the woman as well as the broader issue of Afghan women in transition.

Kathleen Kuehnast, USIP's Gender and Peacebuilding Center program director, talks about the recent public murder of a woman in Afghanistan and the importance of the international community’s efforts to protect and promote the rights of Afghan women.

This report, sponsored by the Center for Gender and Peacebuilding at the U.S. Institute of Peace, is based on data culled from the 2010 parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. Using these numbers, the authors assess how female candidates and voters fared in the last election and provide recommendations for improving women’s participation in future Afghan elections.

Women leaders from Liberia, Pakistan, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Samoa shared compelling accounts of their innovative leadership approaches in a two-part panel event, "Women Leading Change in Transitioning Societies." These women, who have just been recognized as the 2012 honorees of the annual Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards, are leading change in their transitioning societies through civil society, political activities, and private business.

Reflecting the Institute's commitment to utilizing cost-effective approaches to empower others with knowledge, skills, and resources that promote the peaceful resolution of conflict, USIP supports U.S. and Pakistani nonprofit organizations producing media geared toward women and youth, countering extremist messaging.