The Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship is based around the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which “reaffirms the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction, and stresses the importance of their equal participation in all efforts for the promotion of peace and securityâ€.
In 2020/21, due to the implications of COVID-19, the Fellowship Programme will take place remotely through use of a video conferencing platform and online resources. By bringing together women activists and peacebuilders from a range of conflict affected countries the fellowship provides expert guidance and capacity building training in topics such as mediation, peacebuilding, and dialogue methodologies with an emphasis on inclusivity and sustainable conflict resolution. The fellowship also includes sessions on personal self-care strategies for those living in conflict areas and those involved in conflict-based work. To date,
the fellowship has been held three times a year in Edinburgh and has so far involved over 200 women from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kashmir, Lebanon, Libya, the Maldives, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and Yemen
The Fellowship Programme aims to:
• provide a platform enabling the sharing of experiences in relation to UNSCR1325 and the global Women, Peace, and Security agenda; women’s roles in peace building and conflict resolution; and gender equality;
• explore the equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes, peace building, and more widely in society, including identifying challenges and entry points;
• facilitate a network of women engaged in an on-going learning and experience sharing process, building a sustainable and evolving alumnae community;
• provide guidance on topics including: mediation; reconciliation; political participation; transitional justice; constitution building; gender equality; policy advocacy; and self-care strategies, among others.
The programme facilitates peer to peer learning providing a safe space for fellows to learn from each other through sharing experiences, ideas and challenges faced in their different contexts. The connections established during programmes continue to be crucial in the implementation of future fellowship programmes, and the Fellowship continues to build sustainable networks of fellows from the MENA and South Asia regions and facilitates local and inter-regional networks and collaboration.
Participant Eligibility
This programme is open to women from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, who:
• Are working in fields such as:
• Mediation and dialogue;
• Women’s rights and/or empowerment & advocacy;
• Reconciliation;
• Cultural dialogue;
• Issues relating to gender-based violence;
• Issues relating to refugees or displaced people;
• Human Rights;
• Humanitarian assistance;
• Transitional Justice;
• Disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration
• Are available from November 1st to December 6th and are able to manage the time commitment (see above) of 6 hours of live sessions per week, plus self-paced work between sessions;
• Are fluent in Arabic and/or English
Technical Requirements
– For live video-conferencing sessions you will ideally need a webcam without a built-in microphone and a USB headset with microphone and headphones. This is especially important if you will be making use of the simultaneous interpretation provided. You will also ideally have access to wired internet connection.
– For live video-conferencing sessions you will need at least 5MB/sec upload and download internet speed. You can test your internet speed here: https://speed.measurementlab.net/#/
How to Apply:
– Please send the completed application form and an up to date cv to fellowship@beyondbordersscotland.com – by 5pm (BST) on Friday 4th September.
– Applications can be accepted in English or Arabic. Late applications will not be accepted.
– Please ensure that you meet the criteria above before applying. You will be contacted if your application has been successful.
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