Research increasingly support that in-depth understandings of women agency in war and ensuring their meaningful participation in peace processes can contribute to more durable outcomes and a more equal peace. Yet systematic data on women's mobilization and empowerment in conflict settings remains scarce.
On 29 April, EMPOW-WAAR research teams from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, and the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, convened at Uppsala for a joint workshop to address the data gap. Both projects, funded by the UN Complex Risk Analytics Fund (CRAF'd), explored how their complementary approaches — EMPOW's data on women's mobilization for peace and gender equality reforms, and WAAR's detailed measures of women's participation in armed rebellion — can be brought together to strengthen the evidence base on women's roles in conflict and post-conflict settings.
The datasets will be interoperable with the world leading data sets on armed conflict and resolution produced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP). The workshop therefore included consultations and expert input from the UCDP team on how to ensure high quality products.
By joining forces, the EMPOW and WAAR teams aim to produce robust data that translates into actionable policy, supporting women's inclusion in peace processes and ensuring that hard-won gains in empowerment are sustained long after agreements are signed.
