Normandy World Peace Forum Abbaye aux Dames, Caen April 9, 2026, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
PEACE BUILDING WITH WOMEN: A NEW SYSTEMIC APPROACH Format: Debate – round table
1.5-hour round table during the Normandy World Peace Forum to present work in favor of creating an international expert group and network about women, peace and security. Context: Peace is a social, political, and economic construct based on inclusive governance. Faced with the persistent exclusion of women from security negotiations and decisions, which weakens lasting peace, and in line with Beijing+30 and Resolution 1325, the IIDHP, UNESCO, France, and the CEDAW Committee are calling for action. The challenge is to develop a universal tool, based on clear indicators and AI, to support states and guarantee equality in global leadership. Peace is a construction. It is first and foremost a social project, a social, political, and economic construct based on equal and inclusive governance, open to new generations. Given the global challenges, there is an urgent need to develop new mechanisms capable of accelerating the prevention and control of risks and conflicts by mobilizing the collective intelligence that the world needs. Feminist diplomacy is part of this systemic change; it is a factor in accelerating equality and political innovation. The gap between the number of women affected by conflict and their presence in peace talks and negotiations, international security conferences, and security and defense budget decisions is a major obstacle to peacebuilding and a violation of their rights in conflict zones. Between 1992 and 2019, 13% of negotiators were women, 6% of mediators, and 6% of peace agreement signatories. Seven out of ten peace processes did not include any female mediators or signatories. The celebration in 2025 of major anniversaries, including Beijing+30 and Resolution 1325, calls for strong initiatives that anchor, analyze, and support the place of women in conflict prevention, peace processes, and reconstruction. The CEDAW Convention states in its Preamble the close link between the maximum representation of women in decision-making bodies and the establishment of lasting peace. Based on Resolution No. 40 of the CEDAW Committee and taking into account the need to operationalize its recommendations, the central challenge is to create a structuring tool, supported by a clear roadmap and precise indicators, to effectively support States. This instrument must guarantee both effectiveness and genuine change management in order to strengthen the position of women in all areas of defense, peace, and security, international negotiations, particularly on nuclear disarmament, and autonomous weapons systems’ regulation. This universal tool for monitoring and evaluating the equal participation of women in peace and decision-making processes, optimized by AI, must be based on innovation, a network architecture of strong and legitimate partners, and optimized ownership by institutions, states, and civil society. Panel objectives: – Present the process of creating an international expert group and network about women, peace and security – Focus on technical exchange – Examine the network’s architecture and priorities – Identify the expected impact of the tool and allow each partner to express their point of view – Emphasize the principles of accountability and compatibility – Create a commitment to universal recommendations