Of all the dimensions of good governance for peace, the most important arguably is gender equality. As UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in 2006, “There is no policy more effective in promoting [development, health and education] than the empowerment of women and girls. And I would venture that no policy is more important in preventing conflict or in achieving reconciliation after a conflict has ended.”
Virginia’s Wolff wrote in her 1938 book-length essay Three Guineas that the most effective pathway for preventing war and achieving a more peaceful world is through the social, economic and political empowerment of women.
The pioneering social science research of Dr. Mary Caprioli documents the links between higher rates of female political representation and a lower risk of armed violence. Her major works and studies by other scholars are cited below.
Social science research shows that greater political, economic and social rights for women are strongly associated with peace, sustainable economic development and social well-being. The empowerment of women benefits everyone.
Some believe that military intervention can protect human rights and advance gender equality. The justifications for war in Afghanistan and Iraq had gender dimensions. The goal of enhancing women’s rights is a necessary policy objective, but it is not a legitimate justification for war and cannot be achieved by military means.
We conducted research on women’s rights in Afghanistan and Iraq and found that US military operations were unable to change the underlying conditions of oppression for women. Aid for women’s education and health programs led to some improvements, but the gains were not generalized or sustainable.
Women, Peace, & Security
Full, equal and meaningful participation of women in decision making and all aspects of security and peacebuilding policy is essential to achieving sustainable global peace. Women, Peace and Security (WPS) is an international political mandate that was established in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and in subsequent UN resolutions. WPS programs are now a component of security and development policy in the United States and other countries and are crucial to achieving development and peace policy objectives.
The Women, Peace and Security Index of Georgetown University rates 177 countries on women’s wellbeing by measuring indicators of inclusion, justice and security.
In Memoriam
My wife Karen Jacob was a nurse, an artist, a feminist, and an indefatigable peace activist. She served as chair of the board of Women’s Action for New Directions for a decade. She provided constant support and inspiration for my work. This website is dedicated to her honor.
David Cortright 
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