The participation of women at every stage of the conflict resolution and reconciliation process has been shown to contribute to a longer-lasting and more sustainable peace.

However women have often not been included in decision-making forums and their participation has not been meaningfully supported by international and national actors. This needs to change.

To explore this crucial topic, The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, as part of the LEAP4Peace Consortium, is delighted to launch its new paper, Pillars for Peace: Women, Peace and Security, which draws on the experiences of women in seven countries – Burundi, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Myanmar, and Uganda.