The landmark United Nations Security Resolution 1325 in 2000, proclaimed the essential role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and emphasized their equal participation in the promotion of peace and security. Yet despite this resolution—and a series of other resolutions and national action plans promoting women’s full participation in mediation, conflict prevention, and resolution—the inclusion of women in track one mediation and other peace settlements has been a slow process.

A 2012 UN Women Study which reviewed 31 major peace processes found that women constitute just 4 percent of signatories of peace agreements, 2.4 percent of chief mediators, 3.7 percent of witnesses or observers to peace negotiations, and 9 percent of negotiation team members.

In Western Balkans, women continue to be dramatically underrepresented in formal peace talks, although they have been involved and contributed to end conflicts and engaged in peacebuilding and reconciliation in aftermath of conflicts. In the five international peace processes and peace agreements signed (Dayton Agreement 1995, Rambouillet Agreement 1999, Vienna Peace Talks 2005-2006, Erdut Agreement 1995, Ohrid Agreement 2001) and the ongoing EU-facilitated dialogue, in this region in over 25 years, there was only one women present at any of the formal peace talks. In addition to this, only RWLSEE Chair and former Deputy Prime Mnister and Minister for dialogue of Kosovo, Edita Tahiri served as chief negotiator for Pristina and in Croatia, Vesna Skare Ozbolt, former Minister of Justice, who was involved in negotiations on the reintegration process. Women have to be empowered to take part in peace processes. Women often have different approaches from men regarding peace, and they have strategic capital that needs to be put up front.