While conflict management professionals understand the contributions that women make in peacebuilding efforts, promoting this idea in conflict societies and effectively engaging women in a wide range of peacebuilding activities requires knowledge and awareness. This first Gender and Peacebuilding Seminar will explore the role women can play in peace negotiations.

Gender

Representatives of the Partners for Democratic Change's new Center in Colombia, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Due Process of Law Foundation will host a roundtable discussion about these mechanisms for democratizing justice at the community level. Discussion with invited experts will explore other experiences of community dispute resolution, as well as the challenges community justice mechanisms face and how they have been addressed. 

USAID’s Community Stabilization Program (CSP) in Iraq was designed as a non-lethal counterinsurgency program that aimed to reduce incentives for participating in violent conflict by utilizing job-creation programs and engaging the youth. This event considered the following questions and more:  Was the CSP effective as a counter-insurgency tool in Iraq?  Does the CSP foster local ownership and sustainability?

Environment;  Youth;  Economics

Presenters will address topics including US policy on post conflict reconstruction, the intersection of post conflict health and Foreign Assistance reform, and an expert from the field will discuss the challenges of post conflict health system functioning and funding.

Thirty years to the day after the taking of the U.S. hostages in Iran, in the wake of their controversial June 2009 presidential election, the regime's ensuing crackdown against peaceful demonstrators, and recent news of U.S. funding cuts for Iran democracy programs, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) offered his views on how the U.S. should approach Iran on the issues of human rights and democracy.

This joint Asia Society-U.S. Institute of Peace event, which took place in New York, explored how financial sanctions and/or engagement could change North Korean behavior. Admission fee is required.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

"Children of War" explores the rehabilitation process in northern Uganda for child combatants, and follows three children, two boys and one girl. Nyero, Akulu and Polycap have all been victims and perpetrators of violence, as most child soldiers are. Read the event analysis, “Children of War” Screening at United Nations Spotlights Efforts to Aid Child Soldiers

In Afghanistan and Iraq, Congress provides oversight and resources for U.S. programs to reform local military and police forces. This process is critical to U.S. success, but is little understood. USIP's Security Sector Reform Working Group examined the role of Congress in ensuring that security assistance is effective, serves U.S interests and creates democratic security forces.