(Big) Business, Women and Security: Profiting from a Healthy Skepticism
By Shyamika Jayasundara-Smits
This paper outlines recent developments in the nexus where the private sector, women, and security meet and how these three themes are discussed in the sustainable development, post-conflict reconstruction, and state-building debates. Drawing on insights from a range of literature the paper contributes to understanding the role big businesses play in realizing or undermining women’s decades-old, nonviolent struggle for security and political and economic rights. Shyamika Jayasundara-Smits is a research fellow with the Research Program on Governance, Globalization and Social Justice and a guest lecturer at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam and the United Nations University for Peace, The Hague Centre.
During the 16 Days Campaign WPP will be releasing articles from its Publication “Women, Peace & Security: Business as Usual?”. Each year, WPP produces a thematic publication, on critical issues affecting the realities of peacebuilding on the ground. This year, our publication will be a critical exploration of the relationship between the private sector and the implementation of the Women, Peace & Security agenda. WPP has chosen to link this publication to the 16 Days Campaign, as this campaign aims to create awareness and action around the connections between militarism, power and patriarchy.
11 Dec '17 This month WPP staff interviewed Arbia Jebali and Sarah Chamekh from Free Sight Association in Tunisia about the work their organization does, how civil society space has changed over the years, which challenges they are facing now, and how civil society in Tunisia is organizing itself to overcome those challenges.
7 Nov '17 In this article, WPP staff interviewed Doron Joles of XminY Fund, an activist organization that supports social movements, action groups and changemakers fighting for a fair, democratic, sustainable and accepting world. He discusses the unique way they have chosen to hand out funds, and the challenges that go along with funding small activist organizations in the current global climate.
25 Oct '17 This Friday, the UNSCR 1325 Open Debate will take place once again, seventeen years since the adoption of landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. In this article WPP staff reflects on the progress made for a truly transformative feminist peace agenda until now.
