More than 65 women peacebuilders from conflict zones across the world have travelled to The Hague.
A special meeting takes place on Wednesday 30 September at the Peace Palace to exchange experiences and discuss peace and security plans.
The event is organised by the International Civil Society Action Network, known as ICAN, alongside the Hague-based gender equality organisation WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform.
Delegates include women from nations such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen, and Ukraine.
Access to official talks
Organisers note that while these women live in war zones and help hold communities together, they rarely receive seats at official security conferences.
Working with diplomats and network contacts allowed the delegates to travel to the city safely.
Safe public spaces to gather are scarce for many participants.
Two-thirds of the group can no longer enter the United States, where delegates traditionally meet around the UN Security Council in October.
Representation in leadership
Platform spokesperson Emine Kaya noted that exclusion from talks weakens solutions, arguing that women must have a place at the negotiating table alongside diplomacy, prevention, and defence.
Kaya also highlighted broader representation gaps, noting that the Netherlands has dropped on the Global Gender Gap Index.
While women hold seven ministerial posts and roughly 43% of seats in the Tweede Kamer, their presence averages only around 30% in local councils.
To learn more about the city’s role on the global stage, read our overview of international organisations based in The Hague.
