Increasing the Representation of Women Peace Mediators: Collaborative Leadership Models for Ensuring Equality

The paper considers the under-representation of women in high-level mediation and peacemaking positions. Set in the context of successive normative commitments to increase the representation of women in high-level mediation, the paper considers why peace process mediation appears to be an outlier in the general trend towards gender parity in UN senior posts in particular. It then considers whether, given the low numbers of women visible in high-level mediation positions, the model of co-mediation would be a specific, measurable, accountable and time bound (SMART) approach to women's representation in mediation.