The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

The third activity of the IWC has focused on the mobilization of local
constituencies. It has involved meetings with women’s organizations
and leaders in Israel and Palestine. It has also led to the beginning of a
series of hearings, first within Israel and lately in Palestine, aimed at collecting
gender perspectives on the resolution of the conflict and consol -
idating supportive networks. In May 2007 an international conference
attended by over 150 Israeli and Palestinian women was held in Jerusalem,
bringing together activists from various backgrounds for the first
time in many years.
The fourth area of work has dealt with communications and the media.
Besides the construction of a website and the transmission of press releases,
efforts have been made to attract media attention and to influence
public opinion. Here, achievements have been mixed: the IWC has
received greater notice internationally than at home.
Indeed, to date, the IWC’s international achievements have outstripped
those within Palestine and Israel. Nevertheless, its distinct position as a
link between civil society and the official sector is beginning to achieve
some impact locally as well. More emphasis is to be placed on activities
within Palestine and Israel, capitalizing on international connections and
achievements.
Since its establishment, the IWC has emerged as a creative, strategically
defined, peace initiative with a unique, gender-based political profile. Its
members have been able to start mobilizing women’s power at the
grassroots and to begin to translate it into a significant force for constructive
change at the decision-making level. Nevertheless, it has yet
to achieve a significant rise in female representation in negotiating
teams, or have a direct impact either on the substance of talks or on the
process of negotiations. To realize these objectives much more extensive
efforts are needed locally, jointly, and internationally.
Some of the obstacles impeding the work of the IWC deserve mention.
The first and the most problematic, is logistical. Heavy restrictions imposed
by Israel on the movement of Palestinians has meant that it is
difficult to arrange joint meetings, and when these do take place, they
entail days and weeks of intensive work on entry and exit permits, as
241