On 30 May 2024, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa hosted an online meeting on Women, Peace, and Security. The discussions focused on how policymakers can support the implementation of the WPS agenda in the MENA region.
Participants underlined the need for strengthening the WPS ecosystem in the face of the backlash that many organizations face, and for breaking out of the “WPS silo” and explore cooperation with new partners, including expanding the work to engage more men. There was also a call for broadening the scope of the agenda and to look at connections between WPS and other issues such as migration, armament/disarmament, etc. Other key points included concerns over the shrinking space for women’s rights organizations, and a need to in parallel focus on protection and participation.
