New Report On The Role Of Women's Csos At Geneva Ii

The Geneva II conference which begins on January 22 represents a crucial opportunity for gender issues to be integrated into the Syrian peace process. Research conducted with key stakeholders indicate that women’s groups view the Geneva II conference as an important opportunity for meaningful women’s participation. They are skeptical however of the likelihood of positive outcomes of the conference, especially given the exclusion of women thus far in the peace process. Despite this, research conducted by Integrity, as well as analyses from other transition processes, suggests that women’s involvement in Geneva may be crucial to the sustainability of the peace process.
This research report provides an overview of the current situation of women's non-governmental organisations throughout Syria and explores their views on, and identifies opportunities for engagement with, the upcoming Geneva II conference and the Syrian peace process. Information for the report was collected through interviews with over 30 research participants in November and December 2013 and was updated following developments in January 2014.