Islam, Culture and Sexism: What Needs to Change?
On October 13, 2015, USIP screened the recent PBS documentary “Gender Equality in Islam,” and hosted a discussion on how women can understand and advance the gender-equitable principles of the faith.
Events
As a national, nonpartisan, independent Institute, the U.S. Institute of Peace draws on our exceptional convening power to create opportunities for diverse audiences to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas necessary for creative solutions to difficult challenges. We serve as an important, neutral platform for bringing together government and nongovernment, diplomacy, security, and development actors, and participants across political views. The Institute’s events help shape public policy and priorities to advance peaceful solutions to conflict and strengthen international security.
Colombia’s Peace Process and Transitional Justice
Colombia’s government and the FARC movement achieved their September 23 breakthrough in peace negotiations by setting down basic principles on the rights of victims to truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-repetition. USIP’s Colombia Peace Forum, on September 30, analyzed the role of historical memory in these transitional justice issues.
Women and Countering Violent Extremism
On July 21 at USIP, experts from civil society, the United Nations, academia, and the U.S. government discussed ways to include women in efforts to counter violent extremism. The debate directly informed U.S. government officials preparing for major international conferences on these issues in fall 2015.
Women Working Towards Reconciliation
In early July, a group of 26 religious leaders of different faiths called on the negotiators to accelerate peace talks and offered to help lead the country toward reconciliation. On July 15, the U.S. Institute of Peace held a discussion with a group pursuing such work, the Ecumenical Group of Women Peacekeepers (GemPaz).
Women of Africa: Leadership in Peacebuilding and Development
The U.S. Institute of Peace, the African Union and the African Ambassadors Group co-hosted an event marking Africa Day on May 26 at the U.S. Institute of Peace. This event highlighted women’s roles in peacebuilding and development, and marked the progress made and the major risks and threats remaining to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.
Third Annual Sheikha Fatima Lectureship: Women and Peacebuilding
Building international peace and security requires women’s participation and leadership. That principle underlies the work of the U.S. Institute of Peace and is the focus of its annual Sheikha Fatima Lectureship. The 2015 event, on May 11, Third Annual Sheikha Fatima Lectureship addressed "A Shared Global Vision for Women and Peacebuilding.”
Empowering Women in Countries with Mixed Legal Systems
The U.S. Institute of Peace and the University of South Carolina Rule of Law Collaborative hosted a public event examining the obstacles and strategies for the empowerment of women in countries with "mixed" legal systems on May 1, 2015.
Catalyzing Social Change: Women, Media and the Arts
What roles do media and the arts play in peacebuilding? Can theatre inspire nonviolent action to resolve conflict, transforming individuals from victims of violence to protagonists actively seeking to end it? The Embassy of Sweden, The Power of 7 team, and the U.S. Institute of Peace presented an interactive discussion on the use of the arts and media to create social change on April 29, 2015. This event was held at House of Sweden.
Colombia: Peace from the Regions
Amid Colombia’s half-century of armed conflict, with peace talks progressing, the government’s High Commissioner of Peace, Sergio Jaramillo, has called for building “paz territorial,” or “peace from the ground up.” This idea is meant to engage regional institutions, local authorities and diverse social sectors and communities in translating an eventual peace accord into practice. But much is still to be defined. Who will lead and organize the process? How is it to be supported logistically? On March 27, 2015, the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted a session of the Colombia Peace Forum to explore these and other questions with a panel of experts.
Women Preventing Violent Extremism: Charting a New Course
In celebration of International Women's Day, the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted a meeting of 12 women civil society leaders from India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Tanzania on Friday, March 6.