Despite the fact that civil war affects all members of society in many different ways, voices of certain members in the community, like women, are often excluded from peace talks. Coverage on peace processes have also been largely limited to those involving high level officials or formal negotiations, yet it omits informal process and more local levels that involve civil society groups. Women represented only 13 per cent of negotiators, 3 per cent of mediators and only 4 per cent of signatories in major peace processes, as tracked by the Council on Foreign Relations. This is despite the fact that women’s contributions often result in the prevention of many conflicts, as one study found that peace processes are more likely to last at least 15 years with the participation of women, according to the International Peace Institute. Since the fall of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, fighting erupted in Sebha among members of several tribes and groups. This plunged the country into ongoing conflict among rival factions seeking control of Libya, mainly between the House of Representatives led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar and the Government of National Accord, led by Prime…
With No Seat At the Table, Libyan Women Are Charting their Own Path at Peacemaking
August 14, 2020
