UNTAPPED POTENTIAL: WOMEN, LEADERSHIP, AND WATER DIPLOMACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Women play a critical role in water resource management and decision-making at the community level. Yet, they are often absent from high-level water-related negotiations and agreements. By excluding women from the decision-making processes, the sustainability and effectiveness of these agreements—which are essential to broader peace and security—is undermined. In the Middle East, one of the most water insecure regions in the world, women are emerging as powerful voices advocating for a peaceful and prosperous future for the region. What steps can country leaders and stakeholders take to ensure that women’s leadership is realized in water diplomacy?

Please join the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program and Middle East Program, with co-sponsor EcoPeace Middle East, for a discussion on the inclusion of women in water leadership and diplomacy in the Middle East. Hear from a panel of experts on the enhancement of regional diplomacy and a movement for inclusive resource decision-making.

Send questions for our panelists during the event to ecsp@wilsoncenter.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter @NewSecurityBeat. Find related coverage of these issues on our blog, NewSecurityBeat.org.