The Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators (SEAWPM) network continues to lead efforts to integrate women’s voices and leadership into peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Recent engagements by SEAWPM representatives underscore their commitment to fostering inclusive, sustainable peace processes on both global and regional stages.
In October, Z Nang Raw participated in the high-level panel event organised by the Global Alliance of Women Mediators on the theme “The Role of Women Mediators in Conflict Prevention and Resolution,” at the UN Women Headquarters in New York. During the event, Nang Raw shared her experiences as a mediator, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities of navigating complex and nuanced conflicts, such as those in Myanmar. She emphasized the importance of inclusive approaches, trust-building, and the active engagement of diverse actors in peace processes.
In the same week, Leonésia Tecla Da Silva and Miriam Coronel-Ferrer joined a transformative International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) held in Manila. This event, themed “Forging Collaboration and Convergence for Advancing Women, Peace, and Security,” brought together global voices to reflect on strides and challenges in women’s roles in peacemaking. With the upcoming 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, this meeting offered a vital space to assess where we are and what remains to be done to ensure women’s inclusion in peace processes. During the conference, Miriam remarked: “While the practice of WPS has evolved with a strong gender dimension, it has, in my view, been lacking in articulating and advocating for the political part of the equation, the PS (Peace and Security), and in defining the means to achieve it. As such to our disappointment “WPS” finds the rug constantly being pulled under its feet… Women’s action must create the avenues for preventive diplomacy, and dialogues across communities in conflict, help build or rebuild trust, think out ways out of the conflict, to problematise, analyse the problems, so that the appropriate solutions to the core issues driving the conflict emerge, and compromises and resolutions are arrived at.”
At the same conference, Tecla participated in a side event on the theme of Conflict Prevention and Mediation in the 21st Century, hosted by the Australian Embassy, and commented: “Nowadays, we’ve seen women and children becoming victims of inappropriate decisions. We need women at the centre of aspiration— Let’s make sure their voices aren’t just present but heard—actively shaping policy and political decisions. It’s about more than a seat at the table; it’s about real influence in solving our main challenges: ‘implementation of women, peace and security’.”
Tecla also participated as a panelist in a side event during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, held on November 21, 2024, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. The session, titled “Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Asia and the Pacific Region,” was co-organized by the Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security, with the Government of Australia and the Philippine Commission on Women, the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators, and the Pacific Women Mediator Network (PWMN). This multi-stakeholder event convened regional experts, women peacebuilders, and civil society representatives to discuss progress and challenges in advancing the WPS agenda. Drawing from her lived experiences, Tecla highlighted the critical barriers to women’s participation in peace processes, such as cultural and structural constraints rooted in patriarchal norms and the lack of trust in women’s leadership in mediation efforts. She underscored the importance of fostering inclusive approaches that amplify women’s voices and roles as catalysts for sustainable peace, particularly in their communities. Her reflections resonated with the broader themes of the session, which focused on creating actionable recommendations for strengthening the WPS agenda ahead of the Beijing+30 review and the 25th anniversary of UNSCR 1325.
In November, Leonésia Tecla Da Silva also participated in a session organized by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, reflecting on the lessons from East Timor’s peace process. Tecla provided an overview of East Timor’s journey toward peace, emphasizing the pivotal role diplomacy played in addressing the country’s deep-rooted conflict. She shared her experience as a woman working within this process, describing how she navigated engagements with diverse actors—including government officials, civil society, and international organizations—while advocating for inclusivity and trust-building.
The continued participation of SEAWPM representatives in global and regional platforms highlights the organization’s dedication to promoting the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. By sharing their lived experiences and addressing critical barriers to women in mediation, they provide valuable insights into the transformative power of inclusive peacebuilding. SEAWPM remains steadfast in its mission to advance women’s leadership in mediation and conflict resolution, ensuring that women are not only included in peace processes but are also empowered to shape meaningful and lasting solutions.
