The Foreign Service Journal, June 2011

54 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 1 1 A F S A N E W S W omen in security and develop- ment, the focus of the April Foreign Service Journal , was the topic at a special panel discussion at AFSA headquarters on April 18. Pan- elists for the AFSA/ FSJ event included Kathleen Kuehnast of the U.S. Institute of Peace, Jacqueline O’Neill of the Insti- tute for Inclusive Security and USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Stein- berg. Julie Gianelloni Connor, director of the Office of Global Systems in State’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs and a member of the Journal ’s editorial board, served as moderator. Panelists agreed at the outset that al- though many view gender issues as a “pet rock,” the inclusion of women in all aspects of peacemaking and governance is vital —not just for the sake of moral- ity or equality, but as a very practical re- quirement for effective policy. In the conflicts in Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, vi- able settlements and subsequent pro- gress hinge on the active participation of women in peace negotiations. The panelists also addressed such is- sues as violence against women in post- conflict societies, the ramifications of social networking for women’s involve- ment in developing countries and the need for better education for girls. The importance of symbolism was stressed. Each panelist remarked on the fact that at most governmental or inter- national organization meetings they at- tend in developing countries, they rarely see women participants. Kuehnast, who heads USIP’s Gender and Peacebuilding Center, commended the example Secre- tary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sets by frequently including meetings with women’s groups when on official travel. USAIDDeputy Administrator Don- ald Steinberg, an FSO and former am- bassador to Angola, shared an example of how he strives to get the message across in his work. On a recent trip, he scheduled a meeting with an important women’s group before his meeting with government officials, all of whom were men. On entering the meeting with of- ficials, he said, “Sorry I’m late, but I just had a great meeting with this women’s group,”and went on to discuss the issues they had raised. While social networking tools have played a role in recent developments in theMiddle East, panelists cautioned that there is still a need to broaden civil soci- ety and reach out to rural areas, where people have little access to the Internet and cell phones. O’Neill, who co-leads the Institute for Inclusive Security’s work in Africa with a focus on Sudan, cited an observationmade by one of her Egyptian contacts:“While everyone was on Facebook (in Egypt), the Muslim Brotherhood was in their faces.” A lively question-and-answer ses- sion followed the panel’s formal dis- cussion. Women in Security and Development BY SUSAN MAITRA AND DONNA AYERST Kathleen Kuehnast (center) makes her point as moderator Julie Gianelloni Connor (far left), and panelists Jacqueline O’Neill and Donald Steinberg listen. DONNA AYERST AFSA Annual Awards Ceremony to Take Place June 23 A FSA’s Award Ceremony will take place on Thurs., June 23, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Department of State. This year, AFSA will present Ambassador Roz Ridgway with the Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award. AFSA will also present the dissent and performance awards at the event. Profiles of the award winners will appear in the July-August edition of AFSA News . AFSA members and anyone with a valid State Department ID are welcome to attend the ceremony. Due to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tight schedule, the event will begin promptly at 4 p.m. We ask that all attendees arrive in the Benjamin Franklin Room by 3:55 p.m. at the latest. Audiencemembers take notes and ask questions. DONNA AYERST