Quote:Women are missing from the biggest high-level political negotiations happening right now to try to end crises around the world. 

No women are involved in negotiations held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the goal of ending Sudan’s brutal conflict.

Excluded from the Doha agreement on Afghanistan, women continue to be cut out of subsequent international meetings on the country’s future.

The fate of Gaza and Palestine and the release of Israeli hostages is predominantly being negotiated among men from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and sometimes (though not always) Palestine.

Only one woman made it onto a new transitional council in Haiti.

Quote:The Biden administration can become an example by appointing women to the diplomatic teams engaging with the Sudanese warring parties, Haiti’s transitional government, the Taliban, and all actors in Gaza dialogues.

The lack of women in political negotiations isn’t going to go away. In coming years, we might see deals struck for Ukraine. That’s just one of many examples where women should be essential participants.

Women at the negotiating table shouldn’t be an afterthought or a nice-to-do item. We are half the world’s population. We are decision-makers. We are civilian leaders. We know what our communities need.