Gender and Mediation

The course will pay particular attention to the debate between a normative and pragmatic approach to mediation, focusing on the normative framework of gender and its relationship to mediation practice. It is relevant as the nexus between gender and mediation is normatively loaded and has important implications for mediation policy and practice. While promoting gender as a norm per se is difficult to question ethically, mediators and practitioners grapple daily with how to incorporate gender norms into their mediation strategies and process design. Mediators also face increasing pressure from their mandate givers to incorporate gender considerations, jump starting a debate on whether gender considerations such as promoting the participation of women and guaranteeing gender sensitive clauses in peace agreements should be done within the parameters of a mediation process.