ENoMW at CoE Event
On 9 June, ENoMW attended the Council of Europe Gender Equality Commissions’ Conference on Women forging lasting peace: Dismantling barriers to gender-inclusive conflict resolution and peacebuilding
The discussions focused on the meaningful participation of women in peacebuilding, conflict-related sexual violence, intimate partner violence against women and the impact of technology-facilitated violence and disinformation on women during conflicts.
ENoMW participated in the conference in order to contribute to ongoing discussions from the migrant women’s rights and feminist perspective on peacebuilding.
- A central conclusion of the conference was that women’s participation is a prerequisite for sustainable peace. Women should not be included merely to fulfil representation targets, women rather shall meaningfully participate and influence peacebuilding and reconstruction at all stages.
- Particular attention was paid to the Russian full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and its impact on women. The war has intensified existing inequalities and increased women’s vulnerabilities and responsibilities, while exposing them to higher levels of violence, economic insecurity, and displacement. Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion, Ukraine has experienced a significant increase in intimate partner violence against women. Survivors continue to face shame and social stigma, while accountability for perpetrators remains insufficient. The glorification of soldiers and militarised narratives contribute to the silencing or minimisation of violence against women within society. Recognising and addressing violence against women should not be seen as incompatible with acknowledging the sacrifices and contributions of those defending the country. These challenges underline the importance of strengthening the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including through Ukraine’s newly adopted National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
- A recurring theme throughout the conference was the persistence of patriarchal structures and misogyny, which continue to shape conflict, recovery and public discourse. Women are often perceived as “not enough” to speak on issues related to war, security or politics despite the fact that women already possess the expertise, knowledge, and capacity to contribute meaningfully. Additionally, there is always lack of sustainable financial support and access to resources. Greater institutional and financial support for grassroots women’s organisations, survivor networks and local peacebuilders is essential as well as dismantling patriarchal narratives and stereotypes against women that undermine women’s legitimacy.
- The discussions also addressed the growing impact of online harassment, sexualised disinformation and deepfakes targeting women politicians, activists, journalists and public figures. The spread of AI and digital technologies has further intensified the risks related to misinformation in conflict settings. Disinformation campaigns directly endanger civilian populations, including displaced women, by spreading false information regarding security, humanitarian assistance or safe locations. Stronger legal, political and institutional responses to technology-facilitated violence are therefore urgently needed to support women targeted online and ensure that digital spaces do not become environments that exclude women from peacebuilding and decision-making processes.
- Finally, the conference concluded on the importance of incorporating the Women, Peace and Security agenda and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 into reconstruction and recovery processes. It is necessary to move beyond emergency responses and focus on long-term recovery, peacetime governance and sustainable ways forward.
ENoMW distributed a position paper outlining our perspective on Russian full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and our concerns regarding the possible deterioration of women’s rights. We also raised concerns regarding the continued use of the term “forced prostitution” in Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)10 of the Committee of Ministers on the role of women and men in conflict prevention and resolution and in peacebuilding. We stressed that the term should not be used in European recommendations and policy documents, as prostitution, and even more so in conflict settings, cannot be separated from coercion, abuse of vulnerability, displacement and unequal power relations.
ENoMW also contributed to the discussions through an intervention raised during the sessions, highlighting the importance of meaningful participation and inclusive approaches within peacebuilding processes.
