The Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group (MCRG) and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) are jointly organizing the International Conference on "Gender, Empowerment and Conflict in South Asia". This is the final conference for a collaborative project entitled Making Women Count for Peace: Gender, Empowerment and Conflict in South Asia. Funded by the Research Council of Norway's INDNOR and NORGLOBAL programmes, the project aims to generate new knowledge and debate on women's empowerment and the challenges facing implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Nepal and India. With a focus on Northeast Indian experiences and a comparative look at Nepal, the project addresses the role of women in local governance and politics, particularly within the context of peace and security processes.

Papers are invited on any of the following sub-themes:

  • Women as activists and agents of peace and change;
  • Women as actors in institutionalized politics and governance in conflict zones;
  • Gender, women's empowerment, and society in times of conflict.

The best papers presented at the conference will be included in an edited volume with the aim of contributing new insights to the debate on gender and political change in conflict-ridden societies. The volume would endeavor to generate awareness about the empowerment of women in peacebuilding efforts and their roles as political activists, members of social movements, politicians or writers. It will also include findings from our research project entitled Making Women Count for Peace: Gender, Empowerment and Conflict in South Asia, which examines the changing role of women in local governance, politics and peacebuilding in Northeast India and Nepal.

Those who are interested in presenting a paper are requested to send an abstract of maximum 500 words by 1 May 2014. Acceptance of abstracts will be notified by 1 June 2014. Full papers of the selected abstracts have to be submitted by 1 September 2014. The abstracts and papers have to be sent to Åshild Kolås (ashild@prio.no), Paula Banerjee (paulabanerjee44@gmail.com) and Debarati Bagchi (debarati@mcrg.ac.in). All presenters are expected to register online by 1 September 2014. Registration is free of charge. Travel and hospitality will be offered to a limited number of participants. For further queries, please email Debarati Bagchi (debarati@mcrg.ac.in).

In all matters of shortlisting and selection, the decision of the Conference Organising Committee will be final.

Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group

GC-45, First Floor, Sector-III
Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 106, West Bengal, India
Phone: +91-33-23370408, Fax: +91-33-23371523
Email: mcrg@mcrg.ac.in