Mar 14, 2025

Women’s Leadership in Peacebuilding

WHEN

March 14, 2025
6:30 PM

WHERE

Church Center for the United Nations (CCUN) 8th Floor
New York City

Join NCJW, Israel Women’s Network, Itach Ma’aki, and other partners for an important panel as part of the events surrounding the 2025 UN Commission on the Status of Women.

This vital discussion will focus on women’s leadership in peacebuilding and the critical gap in these spaces: women’s voices. We will explore UN Resolution 1325, which mandates women’s inclusion in leadership roles in war and peace processes. Through insights from leaders and activists, the event will examine the unique perspectives women bring to diplomacy and conflict resolution, the barriers they face, and the necessity of their inclusion at centers of decision-making and on negotiation teams to ensure lasting peace.

Speakers:

Prof. Dafna Hacker – Chairwoman of the IWN, expert member of CEDAW

Prof. Hacker is a prominent Israeli feminist leader. A long-time activist, she has pursued a successful academic career while maintaining a life-long commitment to advance the status of women. She began her career as a lawyer at the Israel Women’s Network and later became a board member. In 2022, she was elected by 115 countries to serve, for four years, as an expert member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Prof. Hacker is a full professor at the Law Faculty and the Women and Gender Studies Program at Tel Aviv University. Her research has focused on the intersection of law, families and gender and has been published in three books and prestigious Israeli and international legal and socio-legal journals.

Adv. Hanan Alsanah

Adv. Hanan Alsanah is the Co-Executive Director of Itach-Maaki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice, a human rights lawyer, feminist, and social activist from Be’er Sheva, Israel. With over 20 years of experience advocating for women’s rights, Hanan has dedicated her career to empowering Bedouin women and promoting gender equality in traditional Bedouin society. She holds a master’s degree in law.

In 2005, Hanan became the first Bedouin woman to represent her community at the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Her efforts focus on advancing women’s leadership, peacebuilding, and political participation, particularly through the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. She has participated in international seminars and initiatives addressing women’s roles in conflict resolution, emphasizing that women’s participation is essential for achieving sustainable peace.

Hanan’s groundbreaking work includes organizing educational and leadership programs for thousands of Bedouin women and founding initiatives to increase women’s representation in local governance. In 2021, she became the first Bedouin woman to lead a political party, advocating for marginalized communities. Her inspiring story is featured in the 2024 documentary Her War – Hanan.

More information on how to register coming soon.