Swanee Hunt Extols Value of Women in the Peace Process

At first, Ambassador Swanee Hunt appears to be a gentle and soft-spoken woman. But the message she delivered at Simmons's Warburg Lecture Feb. 14 also showed her unyielding passion for women’s representation in the peace process. Hunt, director of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and the former US Ambassador to Austria, spoke on "Women Waging Peace" and the roles women need to play in international security.

Describing women as tremendous, untapped resources, Hunt said "It’s poor casting to ask men who plan war to plan peace," she said. "We need to add women to the talent pool." Not only are women often the most powerful voice of moderation in times of conflict, she argued, but they also are adept at working "outside the box." Additionally, women are motivated to secure peace because of their need to ensure security for their families. Many women have told Hunt, "we bring life into the world, so we don’t want to see it destroyed."

By including women to the peace process, said Hunt, "we cannot help but be changed….We will find empathy — the best hope for our future." Hunt is the founder of Women Waging Peace, a collaborative venture that connects women peace builders to policy makers, funders, media, and academics in a global, interactive network. For more information, visit www.womenwagingpeace.net.

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Women Waging Peace

 

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