Abu Dhabi: More women need to be involved in international diplomacy, said a panel of female ambassadors who spoke at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) in Abu Dhabi on Sunday
They said that women diplomats can bring positive elements to the negotiating table.
The panel talk was organised by the EDA in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with the discussion centred on the challenges women face when entering international diplomacy and related fields, and how these challenges can be addressed.
“Women are essential to overcome obstacles that are, I would say, not as big as you think. All problems always have a solution, but we have to talk [and have to get women involved],” said Dominque Mineur, Belgium’s Ambassador to the UAE.
“That’s something women can do easily, to [be able] to have this sort of soft approach to talk to people, [and] to try and have informal discussions,” she added.
“The problem today is that when you watch negotiations with different conflicts, how many women do you see going to be a part of those negotiations? It’s very little and that’s the problem,” she said, highlighting the lack of female diplomats involved in conflict resolution negotiations.
“If women are not part of the conflict resolution there is little chance of peace being sustained. Peace needs to be addressed by both men and women talking to each other on an equal level,” she added.
Francisca Mendez Escobar, Ambassador of Mexico to the UAE, also speaking on the panel, said that education starting from school was one of the most important ways for raising awareness and changing attitudes about the role of women in society.
“Education is a key element. All policies, resolutions and legal frameworks comes down to the schools [and] through education.
“The change isn’t going to happen in one day, it’s going to take time [and] it’s a real challenge. I hope that little by little society proposes new changes in order to adapt,” she added.
Sophie Barbey, UAE head of mission, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), recounting her experiences in the field, said that in some cases women are more able than men to discuss certain issues, which she said could prove advantageous for international diplomacy.
“We have this capacity as women to have access sometimes [on issues] which are maybe more complex for men [to talk about] like harassment and sexual violence, which are very sensitive and very difficult [subjects].
“[There needs to be] an approach that will integrate all parties, not just the political but also civil society. Women need to be a part of the peace process and diplomacy because it’s [important] to understand the whole context,” she added.
