This year’s theme: conflict, gender and peace

We shall begin 2024 with a new core theme and we will look at conflict and peace mediation from a gender-specific perspective. These days, we are continually confronted with reports of armed conflict and war in the media, so we wish to draw attention to the gender dimension of these issues and illustrate why this perspective is important. What role do women play in peacekeeping? What does rape as a weapon of war have to do with patriarchy? What political measures are required to guarantee structural and sustainable security for all? At political and cultural events, we shall discuss these matters and seek answers with experts and with you.

In 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”. It focuses on gender-specific aspects and consequences of war and armed conflict. The signatory states commit to conflict prevention, including the protection of women and girls from sexualised war violence and their equal participation in peacekeeping. On 13 July 2018, the government of Luxembourg adopted its first national action plan on “Women, Peace and Security” to implement Resolution 1325.

It is based on the realisation that women play an indispensable role in the promotion of peace and security. Their perspectives, experiences and participation are essential to finding sustainable solutions to global challenges. As part of our work, we aim to raise public awareness about these facts in order to place equality for women and their protection in all realms of life on the political and social agenda.

Together, we will explore the link between gender equality, peace and security to build a more inclusive and just future for all. This year, we want to build bridges, deepen our understanding and take concrete action to strengthen the rights and security of women worldwide.

Excursus: Masculinism?

Masculinism is an ideology or belief system which elevates the traits and activities a given society has associated with masculinity, over those it has deemed feminine. In other words, masculine things are more valued and respected than feminine things. In accordance, a principal feature of masculinism is that it denies that gender – and other systems of social hierarchy – are socially constructed rather than biologically dictated. It is responsible, for example, for the belief that men are naturally more rational, while women are led by their emotions. Thus, it naturalises and depoliticises gender-based power relations, as well as those rooted in racism and classism amongst others.

In politics, masculine qualities such as aggression and economic growth are often valued, while feminine qualities such as negotiation and cooperation are relegated to the background. By linking ideals of war heroism with newer values such as rationality and technology, capitalist development is favored while concerns about exploitation are disregarded.

When political competence is equated with masculinity, it is much harder for women to be elected. So to achieve true equality, the existing power structures shaped by masculinism must be challenged and deconstructed, and we must ensure that politics truly represents the interests of all people, rather than perpetuating systems of privilege and exclusion.

Are you interested in a constructive dialogue? Then book the following dates.

• As in previous years, we are delighted to be collaborating with the Luxfilmfest in 2024. To kick off the festival, we invite you to join us at Ciné Utopia on 1 March to watch the film Invisible Nation by director Vanessa Hope. It tells the story of Tsai Ing-wen, the first female president of Taiwan, opening a discussion on sustainable peacekeeping and exploring the participation of women in peace negotiations and conflict prevention against the backdrop of Taiwan’s geopolitical context. In keeping with our theme for the year, this film will allow us to examine diplomatic action from a gender-sensitive perspective.
  Get your tickets here: https://www.luxfilmfest.lu/en/movies/invisible-nation/
• We are also delighted to welcome Monika Hauser, the founder of medica mondiale, in Luxembourg on 6 November 2024! This association campaigns against sexualised violence in warzones and armed conflicts and provides support to those affected by violence and trauma. Through its commitment to women’s rights and equality, medica mondiale is making a positive contribution towards changing patriarchal social structures. The association places particular emphasis on explaining the causes and consequences of sexualised wartime violence and the extent to which its origin lies in the structural discrimination of women and girls.

In the meantime, we recommend you listen to this Zeit-Magazin podcast episode, in which Monika Hauser discusses her work and understanding of feminism, among other things:

https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/2023-12/monika-hauser-interviewpodcast-alles-gesagt