Seventh Annual Policy Forum & Colloquium
Photo Gallery
The Initiative for Inclusive Security Colloquium
January 8-20, 2006
The post-conflict period offers a unique window of opportunity to improve the legal status of women and expand their participation in governing institutions. During the transition from war to peace, international and national actors are focused on restructuring the state and are often willing to consider new and progressive approaches. International donors are eager to supply the financial assistance and expertise to support such efforts. It is critical to seize this opening to solidify democratic rule of law and fully incorporate women’s rights.
Countries emerging from conflict are often left with outdated, discriminatory, and ineffective constitutions, legal codes, and judicial processes. Within these structures, women face significant obstacles to empowerment and participation. Women are discriminated against in property ownership, inheritance, citizenship, and family law. Even when laws reflect women’s rights, widespread and entrenched reliance on customary and traditional law often obstructs the realization of these rights.
Integrating equality into all sources of law is one step in the process of establishing a democratic legal foundation; transitioning countries must also transform legal rights on paper into enforceable rights in practice. Women often face obstacles in accessing justice and are subjected to unfair treatment in the application of laws. Without effective implementation of their rights, women will continue to face barriers to empowerment and inclusion. It is vital to establish independent, accountable, and accessible judicial and non-judicial mechanisms that ensure the protection of legal rights.
All relevant actors – lawyers, judges, legislators, and civil society activists – should be included in a collaborative process to develop democratic rule of law. Women in all sectors can use their positions, expertise, experiences, and skills to press for legal reform, to participate in drafting new laws and establishing new institutions, and to ensure accountability among all branches of government. Advocates for social change through legal reform will need political will and widespread public support to accomplish their goals. Legal awareness, education and training, and advocacy and coalition building can promote understanding of women’s rights and build support for the improvement of women’s status.
From January 8-20, 2006, The Initiative for Inclusive Security brought together more than 20 women lawyers, legislators, judges, and civil society activists from such diverse countries as Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Colombia, and Rwanda to address these needs and opportunities. The program included targeted skills sessions, meetings with US judges and legal practitioners, courses on legal and public policy topics, and advocacy training. The Colloquium commenced in Cambridge, Massachusetts with the Women and Security Executive Training Program, an initiative of the Women and Public Policy Program of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government cosponsored by the Harvard Law School. Women discussed strategies, shared knowledge and lessons learned, and developed new approaches and mechanisms to advocate for legal reform in their countries. Through one-on-one and group sessions with Hunt Alternatives managers, women had the opportunity to hone their message management, media, and leadership skills. The culmination of the Colloquium was the Policy Forum in Washington, DC on January 20, when over 400 policymakers joined the participants to engage in focused discussions about how rule of law efforts in post-conflict countries can be designed and implemented more effectively with the full participation of women.
Watch the 2006 Policy Forum Keynote Address
by Jean-Marie Guehenno
American Organization Brings Women Together to Build Peace
Faiza Elmasry, Voice of America
February 8, 2006
A Survivor of Rwanda's Horrors Writes Hope Into Law
Nora Boustany, The Washington Post
January 25, 2006
Iraqi Women Seek Leadership Positions
Meredith Mackenzie, United Press International
January 24, 2006
Iraqi Women Seek Greater Rights
Margaret Beesher, Voice of America
January 20, 2006
Press Release: 25 Women Demand Legal Rights in Their Countries
January 20, 2006