Mind the GAPS

Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)
  • 5.0 (2)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Welcome back to season 3 of Mind the GAPS - a Women Peace and Security podcast! On this podcast, we explore the world of Women, Peace and Security – or WPS – through speaking to experts and practitioners from around the world word working under the umbrella of WPS. Join us as we release new episodes focusing on important aspects of the WPS Agenda, where we will be speaking to some brilliant guests who will share their takes and recommendations on this important topic.

  1. 04/28/2025

    The 25th anniversary: WPS as hope and action

    For the final episode of season 3, our host Detmer Kremer - Policy Advocacy and Coordinations Coordinator - is joined by Shelagh Daley, Team Lead for Policy and Advocacy, and Lewis Brooks, UK Policy and Advocacy Adviser, both at Saferworld. Assessing the volatile times in the UK and around the world, this conversation provides a critical look at WPS: where it stands now and where the UK could provide innovative and genuine leadership on moving the agenda - and therefore gender justice - forward. Resources GAPS Shadow Reports: https://gaps-uk.org/category/policy-resources/themes/uk-national-action-plan-nap/ Beyond Consultations: https://beyondconsultations.org/ WPS Helpdesk: https://wpshelpdesk.org/ People Power Conference: https://www.saferworld-global.org/resources/news-and-analysis/post/1080-power-people-and-peace-reflections-from-the-2025-people-power-conference-

    46 min

  2. 03/17/2025

    Building pillars of peace in Libya

    Ongoing conflict and fractured governance are immense challenges in Libya. In this environment, Libyan women human rights defenders and women’s rights organisations play an essential role in fostering social cohesion and providing crucial support and relief, such as disaster response to the devastating floods in Derna – whose severity was a direct consequence of the climate emergency. However, this crucial work is challenged by deeply entrenched patriarchal norms and discriminatory laws, exposing women and other marginalised groups to alarming levels of gender-based violence and significant barriers to meaningful participation. This episode emphasises the urgent need to advance the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda through a comprehensive and integrated approach—one that ensures women’s participation is not only encouraged but protected at its core.    In this episode, we joined by Catherine Turner, Professor of International Law and Deputy Director of the Durham Global Security Institute and Noura El Jerbi, a dedicated advocate focused on addressing online violence against women in Libya. Our guests explore the ecology of risk associated with women’s participation in Libya and identify opportunities for the WPS agenda to counter such harms, to advance a locally owned agenda.  Resources Creating Enabling Environments for Women’s Participation in Libya: https://www.ipinst.org/2023/07/creating-enabling-environments-for-womens-participation-in-libya-paper Middle East Eye reporting on Derna floods: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/libya-floods-derna-women-invisible-needs-neglected-aftermath

    54 min

  3. 02/21/2025

    In focus: The Democratic Republic of the Congo

    This episode was recorded on the 29th of January and reflects the situation in DRC at that time. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a multi-ethnic, bio-diverse and resource-rich country. Yet the legacy of Belgian colonialism and other western influences have contributed to prolonged and protracted violence. The majority of the current violence, fought between the Congolese army and a wide range of armed groups, including those like M23 who are backed by foreign powers such as Rwanda, the ADF and CODECO, is fought in the eastern part of the country. This has causes mass displacement, high rates of gender-based violence, and plundering of resources. Regional efforts towards peacebuilding have had limited success, and appear largely exclusive of the communities affected most. We are joined by Solange Lwashiga, who called in from Bukavu prior to the town being taken over by M23. Here she heads up South Kivu Congolese Women's Caucus for Peace (Caucus des Femmes Congolaises du Sud-Kivu pour la Paix). We were also joined by Karolina Sklebena, who is a global crisis analysis consultant with Mercy Corps.   Resources MercyCorps’s Researchhttps://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/rapid-gender-analysis-kanyaruchina-displacement-site-goma-north-kivu-woman-has-do-anything-provide-her-family-march-2024 Statement from PeaceDirect on violence in DRC:https://www.peacedirect.org/statement-on-the-violence-in-north-and-south-kivu-drc/ Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452174/ MSF’s reporting on sexual violence in DRC https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-reports-unprecedented-number-sexual-violence-cases-dr-congo

    45 min

  4. 01/29/2025

    Women negotiating inclusive peace

    Evidence shows that peace processes are more likely to be stable and resilient when women and other marginalised groups are included in negotiations. Yet, we continue to witness their exclusion and conflicts around the world are rising. This episode follows a successful event held in the UK parliament entitled ‘Promoting Inclusive Peace’, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women, Peace and Security, which GAPS is secretariat to, in collaboration with the Foreign Policy Centre and University of Birmingham. We are joined by Associate Professor in International Security at the University of Brimingham, Giuditta Fontana, and co-founder of Justice Impact Lab, Fatiha Serour to consider how the needs and experiences of marginalised groups should be integrated into peace processes, to ensure local ownership and consideration of the often-forgotten root causes of conflict. Drawing on contexts including Afghanistan, Liberia and Sierra Leone, our guests guide us through the barriers to women's involvement in peace processes and avenues to subvert and move past ‘representation for representation’s sake’. Instead, we consider, how can we build the table around local expertise, including women, to establish inclusive and sustainable coalitions of peace.  Resources mentioned:   Women’s Participation And A Better Understanding Of The Political, UN Women.  Learning from Failure: Tackling war recurrence in protracted peace processes  Facts and Figures: Women Peace and Security, UN Women.

    1h 4m

  5. 12/20/2024

    Post-election check-in

    On the fourth of July, 2024 the British public voted and elected a new government. After 14 years of rule by the Conservative party, a Labour government under Keir Starmer was sworn in. It campaigned under a banner of change as it secured it a large majority in parliament. The election also saw significant inroads for many smaller parties which ran on more progressive platforms, including clear support for Palestine including calls for full suspensions of arms sales with Israel. Another party that made significant gains, although at a smaller scale than many had predicted, is the Reform party. Rallying around an explicit anti-migrant, anti-climate and anti-rights agenda, it has catapulted itself into parliament after years of public and political debate aiming to increase and leverage a divided and polarised UK including by deepening its racism and transphobia. This means the political landscape in the United Kingdom now looks very differently than it did before, and in this episode we are joined by Claudia Craig, Senior Advocacy Adviser on gender justice at CARE International UK and Richard Reeve, coordinator of the Rethinking Security network, to check-in with where the government stands now, since it has been able to stretch it legs and whether it is upholding promises made, and as we look ahead to the next few years, what might we be able to expect? Resources GAPS’s WPS recommendations for the first 100 days of government: https://gaps-uk.org/the-first-100-days-of-women-peace-and-security/ GAPS’s Shadow Report: https://gaps-uk.org/assessing-uk-government-action-on-women-peace-and-security-in-2023/

    49 min

  6. 12/03/2024

    Sudan: a feminist approach

    Since April last year the conflict in Sudan has raged on between the RSF and SAF, supported by foreign powers including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. As a result, tens of thousands have died, millions have been displaced within Sudan and forced to flee across borders, the country now faces the largest hunger crisis in the world, and racist mass atrocity crimes are being committed by both warring groups, including in Darfur. Women and girls face specific risks, and documented cases of gender based violence, inclusive CRSV, are widespread and well documented. We are joined by two incredible Sudanese activists, Reem Abbas and Hala Alkarib, who guide us through WPS in the country-context of Sudan. Amidst the crisis of conflict, hunger and displacement, Sudanese women and girls face their own unique challenges. Yet, women continue to provide the backbone to essential services whilst challenging the patriarchal and colonial dynamics in their country. This episode invites us to consider the conflict dynamics at play, how the international community is currently responding and what is most urgently needed. Resources mentioned: Assessing UK Government Action on Women Peace and Security in 2022: https://gaps-uk.org/assessing-uk-government-action-on-women-peace-and-security-in-2022-gaps-shadow-report/ UK Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan 2023 to 2027: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-women-peace-and-security-national-action-plan-2023-to-2027

    58 min

  7. 11/08/2024

    Live from New York: Dispatches from WPS Week

    We are back for season 3 and bringing you directly into the beating heart of Women Peace and Security! Hosted by our very own Eva and Sangeetha, the episode takes you to the launch event of our latest publications on best practice on improving the participation of women in politics. The launch event features interventions from May Sabe Phyu, Director of GEN Myanmar and member of the Leap4Peace consortium, Kay Soe representing the Women’s Advocacy Coalition and Tonni Brodber from the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund. Our Director Eva Tabbasam shares her reflections on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of the WPS agenda, and we will hear brief interventions women working in Iraq, Palestine, the Netherlands and Belgium.   Resources mentioned: Leap4Peace paper series on Burundi, Myanmar, Colombia and the accompanying global paper: https://gaps-uk.org/leap4peace-consortium-paper-series-launch/ Pillars for Peace: https://nimd.org/theme-brochures/women-peace-and-security-pillars-for-peace/ The United Nations Secretary-General’s Report on Women Peace and Security: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/report-secretary-general-women-and-peace-and-security-s2024671-enarruzh

    1h 12m

  8. 09/19/2024

    Conflict and Feminism: Reflections on WPS

    In the finale of the second season of Mind the GAPS: A Woman Peace and Security Podcast, GAPS staff members Lottie Kissick-Jones, Sangeetha Navaratnam-Blair and Detmer Kremer join in conversation. It is a reflection on the season itself, key political developments and events during the year, and analysis of WPS and related policies. This includes the ongoing genocide in Palestine, the change of government within the United Kingdom and the rise of the anti-gender movement. The conversation includes concrete recommendations on the WPS agenda, the UK’s PSVI initiative and commitments to strengthen funding for Women’s Rights and Women-led Organisations.   Sources mentioned in this episode 2023 Annual Shadow Report: https://gaps-uk.org/assessing-uk-government-action-on-women-peace-and-security-in-2023/ Bridging the GAPS blog: https://gaps-uk.org/home/bridging-the-gaps-a-blog/ The First 100 Days of Government and WPS: https://gaps-uk.org/the-first-100-days-of-women-peace-and-security/

    48 min
See All (20)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome back to season 3 of Mind the GAPS - a Women Peace and Security podcast! On this podcast, we explore the world of Women, Peace and Security – or WPS – through speaking to experts and practitioners from around the world word working under the umbrella of WPS. Join us as we release new episodes focusing on important aspects of the WPS Agenda, where we will be speaking to some brilliant guests who will share their takes and recommendations on this important topic.

Information

  • Creator
    Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)
  • Show Website
    Mind the GAPS