Following last week's International Women's Day, recognising women's vital contribution to peace and development, we are delighted to be able to share the Beyond Consultations Tool. The Beyond Consultations Tool was launched yesterday in New York at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). This new tool has been designed to support actors to move towards more meaningful engagement with women in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS). All women have a fundamental right to meaningfully participate in the decisions that frame and impact their lives. Despite this, globally, we are failing to meaningfully engage with women living in FCAS on the policies, processes, and programmes that affect them. There is also clear evidence that women’s inclusion in political processes leads to more effective peace and stability.
In 2018, Paperboat were commissioned by GAPS UK and Women for Women International working together with Saferworld, Womenkind and Amnesty UK to conduct a global participatory research project with women and women’s organisations in FCAS, in response to their concerns that many consultation exercises tend to be extractive, tokenistic and disempowering. Through this research the Beyond Consultations tool was developed to ensure that women's voices meaningfully contribute to and influence decision-making, to ensure that women's rights and needs are met, and that women’s potential is realised! The tool encourages the full participation of women throughout all consultation processes so that their rights, needs and concerns are realised in agreements, policies, plans and programmes.The tool is designed to be used as part of a learning process to highlight good practice for the meaningful participation and engagement of women to chart areas for improvement and map progress over time. You can now download the Beyond Consultations tool here! #BeyondConsultations #MeaningfulParticipation @NoWomenNoPeace & @womenforwomenUK @Saferworld @AmnestyUK & @woman_kind
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This International Women's Day we have chosen to spotlight one of our Associates, Marie Francoise Umtoni. Marie has brought Paperboat great insight into women's organising and gender mainstreaming in Rwanda. What makes Marie stand out is her ability to connect with women’s organisations and to draw out the stories of those women making a real difference, who are often invisible. Marie is a Rwanda based gender and qualitative research specialist. Marie has worked with women's organisations to increase their knowledge of strategic programming and in helping support them to better evidence the impact of their work. Marie has worked across the Great Lakes region with both grassroots activists, development agencies and donor organisations. #internationalwomensday |