Marte Engdal deputy director at the Norwegian center for Conflict Resolution (NOREF) said that woman must be present in all decision-making roles including war and peace. Speaking on Radio al Balad Tuesday on the occasion of International Women’s Day Engdal spoke about the recent conflict in Ukraine. “When we look at the Ukrainian conflict, we see women taking their kids while leaving behind husbands, sons and fathers behind. In contrast men are making decisions about war and now hopefully about making peace.” 

The Norwegian conflict resolution activist called for change in representation. “Our role is to try to work on many levels. To improve we have to have a conversation about inclusivity. We want more women to the table. This is difficult in today’s world where you are relevant if you carry a gun.

Engdel whose organization works in Iraq, Palestine and Yemen says that women pay a high cost for wars. “Women suffer as much or more as the consequence of war. If half the population is outside the conversation you will not have a resolution.

The deputy director of the NOREF agreed that what the Ukrainian conflict has done is expose what feels “like a double standard the way refugees from Ukraine are looked at in a different language than in occupied Palestinian territory. It is like the women’s struggle in general we need to fight using champions and to ensure that men are our allies.”

“There are complex conflicts but What NOREF as an independent organization we try to nudge actors to ensure we always work for political solution the aim to prevent conflict, we try to connect the right people and try to look for common ground, sometimes the right thing is to stop the violence and then talk about resolution. We always want to push the envelope on inclusivity we want to be sure that women are part of any talks and to make sure topics are discussed that affect women.”

Engdel concluded her interview with an aspiration. “We need women role models and champions supporting women. Women’s rights can’t be taken for granted they have to be earned. Women’s Rights are Human Rights.”