The Foreign Service Journal, April 2011

20 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 tion of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as president. Sri Lankan civil society leader Visaka Dharmadasa contends that the film has had a major impact on women in Sri Lanka, con- vincing them that they could do something as powerful and game-changing as their sisters in Liberia. Though military operations have ended in Sri Lanka, women there continue to call for a more inclusive political for- mula that will bring lasting peace to their country. Not Just a “Soft” Agenda Finally, we need to engage the academic community in helping to connect the dots between research on war and women, and to provide good evidence to policymak- ers in Washington. The agenda of inclusion will make a great deal more sense if political leaders are convinced that it has security at its core. Policymakers have often marginalized issues relating to women as secondary socioeconomic concerns to be dealt with after the more “hard” issues, such as physical security, are addressed. However, researchers can help establish the direct connection between the engagement and involvement of women and the national security aims of defense and military actors. Creating such linkages can help prioritize women’s inclusion and strengthen the effectiveness of military and peace support operations. The academic community also has important per- spectives that can be useful to practitioners and military personnel working in zones of conflict and post-conflict reconstruction. World-renowned peace educator Betty Reardon of the International Institute on Peace Educa- tion notes that practitioners of conflict management must also continue to be learners throughout their careers. This field is growing rapidly, but needs to be infused with evidence to support the premise that women’s inclu- sion can significantly contribute to sustainable peace. Sus- tained engagement with the academic community will help promote the application of a gender analysis approach to- ward peace negotiations that goes beyond mere lip service. Women’s involvement in peace negotiations is not just an issue for them, but also for men. The point of the “women and war” agenda is to improve life for all people. Toward that end, men have to see the direct benefit of engaging women in peace talks, something male leaders are critical in helping to explain. War looks different through the lenses of men’s and women’s experiences. Finally, we can no longer view war and the military from the perspective of 20th-century security assump- tions. Instead, we need to anticipate that the new cen- tury will see conflicts that are more amorphous, more related to issues of climate change and human migration to find land, water and livelihoods. When it comes to fig- uring out how to navigate with few resources, women are experts at survival and have long been concerned with is- sues of everyday human security. To move forward glob- ally in an effective and efficient manner, women need to play a pivotal role in security, problem-solving and peace- building in this new century. Women are essential contributors to the transition from “the cult of war to the culture of peace,” as Ambas- sador Anwarul Chowdhury has reiterated over the last decade. Known for his roles as guiding spirit of UNSCR 1325 and president of the Security Council in 2000, the Bangladeshi diplomat firmly believes that building a cul- ture of peace will require women — not only participat- ing at the peace table but eventually helping set the agendas for peace talks, post-conflict reconciliation and recovery, and long-term peacebuilding. n F O C U S