“Peace processes” are often understood as formal negotiations between the armed parties of a conflict culminating in the signing of a peace agreement. At Geneva Peace Week 2025, we are presenting a workshop in which we propose a more comprehensive understanding of peace processes. This understanding recognises the complexities and recognises the diverse actions and roles of women and youth in peacebuilding. Together with the participants we deconstruct common assumptions.

In a thematic presentation, aided by a visual tool, we focus on the understanding of peace processes as all peacebuilding initiatives, formal and informal, that strive for transformative, structural change by tackling the root causes of conflict and violence before, during and after armed conflict. In this interactive workshop, we introduce and discuss the great variety of roles youth and women play within peace processes, look at case studies and testimonials of youth and women and feminist peacebuilders, facilitate analytical debate and encourage the inclusion of feminist visions in conventional narratives.

We are organising this workshop together with the Peacebuilding Initiative. It will take place in English.

Registration is recommended but not required.

Faciltators

Larissa Mina Lee and Luana de Souza, Network & Advocacy, PeaceWomen Across the Globe

Olivia Bornyi and Emma Hamilton, co-presidents Peacebuilding Initiative