VIDEO-CONFERENCE | Promoting Women’s Leadership in Peace and Security in a Time of Covid-19

Mardi 16 juin 2020

Promoting Women’s Leadership in Peace and Security in a time of COVID-19

It’s been twenty years since resolution 1325 on Women, Peace (WPS) and Security was adopted by the United Nations Security Council. Since that time, much progress has been made, notably through the establishment of the Women, Peace and Security global agenda, which constitutes today a reference framework for gender equality policies. However, there is still much work to be done to advance women’s rights and gender equality in this domain.

The COVID-19 pandemic is amplifying the challenges, deepening pre-existing inequalities and exposing vulnerabilities, leaving the WPS agenda in the background. The COVID-19 pandemic affects people of different genders differently, revealing the gendered dimension of the social, political and economic structures in our societies. Women are particularly exposed to the pandemic, as they represent 70% percent of health workers at the global level. Moreover, many women suffer domestic violence, forced into lockdown with their abusers, while social services are disrupted. The pandemic is also contributing to the exacerbation of sexual violence in conflict-affected zones.

How does the Covid-19 pandemic affect women and women’s leadership in peace and security, and how do women respond to the new challenges? What kind of political and diplomatic responses are needed at the national and international levels, as well as in the field, to increase women’s participation in institutions and peace operations?

Both Canada and France have advocated for a feminist foreign policy that takes into account gender equality in the implementation of policies and programs in the international sphere. The purpose of this virtual conference is to identify ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affects women’s rights and gender equality by establishing a dialogue between Canadian and French experts and field practitioners.  With a view to the Generation Equality Forum to be held in France in 2021, and at a time when the world is undergoing profound changes, this virtual conference aims to highlight how the pandemic presents challenges for the advancement of gender equality, but also potential opportunities to enhance women’s rights, gender justice and new conceptions of peace and security.

PROGRAM

Promouvoir le leadership des femmes dans la paix et la sécurité à une époque de Covid-19

L’évènement sera diffusé en direct en anglais, avec l’interprétation simultanée en français.

6pm - Opening / 18h00 - Ouverture

By Isabelle Hudon, Ambassador of Canada to France / par Isabelle Hudon, Ambassadrice du Canada en France

6:05 pm - Welcome / 18h05 - Mot d’accueil

By Camille Boutron, IRSEM Researcher Army and Society / par Camille Boutron Chercheuse défense et société à l’IRSEM

6:15 pm - Moderator / 18h15 - Modératrice

Maria Martin de Almagro Iniesta, Assistant Professor in Politics and Gender at Montreal University / Maria Martin de Almagro Iniesta, Professeure Adjointe en Genre et Politique, Université de Montréal.

Conversation with / Conversation avec :

• Jacqueline O’Neill, Canadian ambassador for women, peace and security / Jacqueline O’Neil Ambassadrice du Canada pour les femmes, la paix et la sécurité
• Céline Bardet, founder and president of "We are Not Weapons of War" / Céline Bardet Fondatrice et Présidente,"We are Not Weapons of War". 
• Rear-Admiral Luc Cassivi, Canadian Armed Forces / Contre-amiral Luc Cassivi, Forces armées canadiennes
• Major Lauranne, French Army / Commandant Lauranne, armée de Terre.

7:30 pm – End of the event / 19h30 – Fin de l’évènement

You can submit your questions directly on your registration form / Vous pouvez poser vos questions directement depuis votre formulaire d’inscription

VISIOCONFÉRENCE
Promouvoir le leadership des femmes dans la paix et la sécurité à une époque de Covid-19

Cet événement aura lieu mardi 16 juin 2020, de 18h00 à 19h30 (CEST heure de Paris)
et 12h00 à 13h30 (EDT heure de Montréal et Ottawa). 
Il se déroulera en anglais, avec l’interprétation simultanée en français.

- INSCRIPTION CLOSE / REGISTRATION CLOSED -

Biography / Biographies : (pdf)

- Isabelle Hudon
- Camille Boutron
- Dr Maria Martin de Almagro
- Jacqueline ONeill
- Céline Bardet
- Rear-Admiral Luc Cassivi, Canadian Armed Forces / Contre-amiral Luc Cassivi, Forces armées canadienne
- Major / Commandant Lauranne