Insights from the Inside: Women’s Mediation Networks as a Tool for Influencing Peace Processes

Civil society-led networks of women have for decades worked hard to promote peace in conflict areas around the world, and lately, a new wave of women's mediation networks are being established that are led by states or regional organizations. All these networks share a collective aim: To promote women's inclusion and influence in mediated peace processes.

FBA manages the Swedish Women's Mediation Network, that aims to promote the participation of women in all phases of peace processes. It was launched by the Swedish government in 2015 and is part of the Nordic Women Mediators.

Nearly five years since its establishment, FBA teamed up with Uppsala University and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) to collect and reflect on our lessons learned from managing the Swedish Women's Mediation Network. By collecting critical insights from the inside, this brief reflects on what it means to create and manage a women's mediation network effectively.