Leaders from across the world are gathering next week in Italy for the G7 Summit. The meetings will focus on critical issues impacting us all, from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to the climate crisis, the financial outlook and more. In all these high-level conversations, it’s vital to have and center women to reach solutions that are lasting, peaceful, and prosperous.
Research shows that when women participate in peacemaking and negotiation, they are more likely to reach agreements and consider the lives of citizens, not just focus on military action. Women often take a collaborative approach to peacemaking and organize across cultural and sectarian divides. Research suggests that such an approach—which incorporates the concerns of diverse demographics (including religious, ethnic, and cultural groups) affected by a conflict and with an interest in its resolution—increases the prospects of long-term stability and reduces the likelihood of state failure, conflict onset, and poverty.
But between 1992 and 2019, women constituted, on average, just thirteen percent of negotiators, six percent of mediators, and six percent of signatories in major peace processes around the world. Further, two-thirds of UN member countries have never had a female leader, and more than 90 percent have governments that are majority male. And at this year’s G7, just one of the seven nation’s leaders will be a woman.
Research has shown that peace agreements are more likely to last when women participate in the negotiation process. According to a study by UN Women, peace agreements that involved women had a 35% higher probability of lasting at least 15 years. Women often advocate for comprehensive approaches that consider social and economic recovery, leading to more sustainable peace.
Having women at the peacebuilding table also sends a powerful message about the value of gender equality and the importance of inclusive governance. It sets a precedent for future political processes and helps to normalize women’s participation in decision-making roles across various sectors.
It is my hope that women will be centered in the conversations at the G7 Summit this week and that future summits more women will be at the table. I know that doing so will lead to a safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous future for us all.