Eighth Annual Policy Forum
Photo Gallery
Women in Government: Securing the Future
January 16, 2007
J.W. Marriott Hotel
Washington, DC
View clips of addresses by Ambassador Don Steinberg, International Crisis Group, and Mariam Almahdi (Sudan).
Despite making profound contributions to stability, prosperity, and peace throughout the world, women remain severely underrepresented in governments worldwide. The Initiative for Inclusive Security, including the global Women Waging Peace Network is committed to increasing women’s political participation in conflict and post-conflict societies.
In December 2006, the UN released a report stating that Arab women are largely excluded from political participation. In fact, worldwide, women make up only 15 percent of ministers, members of parliament, and heads of state. While a few women are breaking through traditional barriers and assuming government positions as presidents, prime ministers, cabinet members, and legislators, those who are elected or appointed encounter new obstacles in office. Some women, for instance, only hold symbolic rather than influential positions.
On Tuesday, January 16, 2007, Inclusive Security brought together approximately 30 women - current and former elected and appointed leaders in government - from Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Sudan, and Uganda who participated in the Eighth Annual Policy Forum luncheon, Women in Government: Securing the Future from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM at the JW Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC.
This luncheon was attended by nearly 500 key decision makers from the United States Government, the United Nations, 
foreign governments, international financial institutions, regional security organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Ambassador Swanee Hunt, chair of The Initiative for Inclusive Security and director of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government moderated the luncheon. A select group of distinguished women government officials from Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Sudan, and Uganda participated in a panel discussion during the luncheon.
The Eighth Annual Policy Forum was part of a two week conference hosted by The Initiative for Inclusive Security in Cambridge, MA and Washington, DC for women government leaders from the conflict and post-conflict countries listed above. These women have overcome tremendous odds to become credible leaders, and each faces distinct social and political obstacles to making her voice heard. Over the course of the two week program, the participants shared strategies and crafted an agenda to cooperatively influence public policy. They learned from one another as well as renowned Harvard experts as they developed new approaches to expand the roles of women in government and to stabilize their countries.