Swedish peace mediators gathered in Stockholm

The Swedish Women Mediation Network. Photo: Elin Nyström, Regeringskansliet

– Women’s meaningful role in peace processes is crucial for sustainable peace, said Sven-Eric Söder, Director-General at the FBA, when the Swedish Women Mediation Network met in Stockholm. The network, organized by the FBA on behalf of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consists of nine members, some of which have already begun involvement in different peace processes.

In December 2015, the FBA launched the Swedish Women Mediation Network, aiming to increase the number of women as mediators and as part of mediation teams, both Swedish women and women from conflict-ridden countries. After a profound probing and selection process, nine members with extensive experience of political missions and work in conflict environments were selected.

Several of them have already begun commitments linked to ongoing peace processes. During the network meeting in Stockholm on September 12, the members planned for the networks’ upcoming activities, together with staff from the FBA and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

– Women’s meaningful role in peace processes is crucial to achieving sustainable peace. The FBA’s work with the mediation network is a concrete contribution to this and we have laid a solid foundation for this work, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Sven-Eric Söder in connection to the meeting.

The Swedish network is part of a broader Nordic Women Mediation Network, which gathers women mediators from all the Nordic countries. FBA will host a meeting of the Nordic network later this autumn.

– The network is not only a way to create a platform for our identified Swedish mediators, but also a way to support women from conflict-ridden countries as participants in peace-building efforts. We cooperate with both researchers and civil society actors in these efforts, says Camilla Riesenfeld, project manager for the mediation network at the FBA.

The network's current members are Ann Dismorr, Head of the MFA’s Department for Middle East and North Africa, Marika Fahlén, former Ambassador, Birgitta Holst Alani, former Ambassador, Marie Jacobsson, Legal Adviser at the MFA, Karin Landgren, former UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Liberia, Lena Nordstrom, Ambassador to Liberia, Helena Rietz, Head of the MFA’s Africa Department, Lena Sundh, Ambassador to the Great Lakes Region, and Margareta Wahlström, former UN Secretary General's Special Representative and Head of the UN’s Office for Disaster Reduction.

Read more about the mediation network here.

Research on local communities' resilience when climate change sparks conflict

International organizations such as the UN, EU, and OECD have highlighted the intensified connection between environmental change and conflict. Rapid environmental changes have severe consequences for countries at war or in post-conflict phases. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his New Agenda for Peace, noted that climate change creates social dynamics that heighten tensions and escalate violent conflicts. "Maria Martin de Almagro Iniesta is a member of FBA's International Research Working Group and studies the impact of climate change on local communities in the conflict-affected eastern DR Congo.

2024-08-13 10:02

Read our publications

Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles

"Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles" is a pioneering resource that bridges the gap between traditional Islamic teachings and contemporary peacebuilding strategies. Aimed at international mediators, diplomats, and policymakers, it identifies the commonalities and delves into the synergies between Islamic values and international norms, offering insights and strategies to enhance peace processes around the globe.

Documents

More Publications

On international deployment

Teresa Wiklund

Monitor at EUMM in Georgia

Kajsa Norman

Election observer

Catalina Perdomo Rodriguez

Adviser to the UN in Colombia

Karolina Riedel

Statistician in election observation missions

Björn Tedeman

Election observer

THE FBA BLOG

>

Posted by Marie Blomdahl
A safe online space to share experiences to support leadership in the UN

>

When I joined the Leadership and Cooperation Unit at the Folke Bernadotte Academy in August 2018, after working many years mainly in the private sector, I had a feeling that this job really would offer me an opportunity to use my skills and experiences to make a difference, and at the same time grow as a professional. FBA was at the time already working actively with leadership development support for leaders in key functions within the ... Read entire post »
2021-06-03 10:54
>

Posted by Rhodri Williams
Civil Society as a Critical Partner: Rule of Law and Accountability in the Liberian COVID-19 Response, Part II

>

Part One of this post highlighted the importance of the rule of law in supporting crisis response in countries struggling with the effects of conflict. One of the most important rule of law principles in such settings is accountability, particularly “downward accountability”, in which state authorities focus on serving citizens dependent on them.

Corruption and poor governance can lead to excessive upward accountability directed toward political superiors, leaving a gap between the state and ordinary citizens. Civil ... Read entire post »

The post Civil Society as a Critical Partner: Rule of Law and Accountability in the Liberian COVID-19 Response, Part II first appeared on FBA-bloggen.
2021-02-15 13:43
>

Posted by Kristin Valasek
Time for a joint vision on gender-responsive leadership

>

Right before the winter break, 236 women and men from 105 different organizations and 46 countries around the world joined our International Dialogue on Gender-Responsive Leadership, to discuss an absolutely critical and often missing part of the gender equality puzzle: gender-responsive leadership.

After twenty years of struggling to achieve the commitments of the global women, peace and security agenda, we at the FBA have learned that executives and managers are essential to success. Not just as supporters, ... Read entire post »

The post Time for a joint vision on gender-responsive leadership first appeared on FBA-bloggen.
2021-02-10 16:09