2-6 September 2024 ǀ Bruges & Brussels (BE)
El-Hiwar Summer School on Women empowerment, peace and security:
Enhancing Euro-Arab women’s roles in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction

The College of Europe is pleased to organise, in the framework of the EU-funded project El-Hiwar III, its fourth Summer School on Euro-Arab Relations. This year’s edition will focus on “Women empowerment, peace and security: Enhancing Euro-Arab women’s roles in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction”. It will take place in Bruges from 2 to 6 of September.

What is El-Hiwar?

The objective of this project is to strengthen dialogue, cooperation and collaboration with key regional actors involved in Euro-Arab relations, through a number of activities including institutional training courses, briefings, thematic workshops and dialogue sessions.

Want to read more about the El-Hiwar Project? Click here.

What is the El-Hiwar Summer School?

5 days to enhance knowledge of Euro-Arab relations, strengthen skills and explore avenues to promote cooperation in empowering women in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction.

The programme will combine different formats in order to maximise the learning potential:

• Live interactive lectures;
• Dedicated workshops focusing on skills;
• A study visit to the EU Institutions and relevant CSOs in Brussels;
• “Ideas lab” sessions during which participants will reflect, brainstorm and exchange ideas;
• Social activities and opportunities to expand your professional network.

A maximum of 15 participants will be selected through this call for applications to join the Summer School.

The language of the course is English (Minimum requirement: Level B2).

What topics will the Summer School cover? Why a focus on Women’s empowerment in peace and security?

In the current geopolitical context and with war raging the Middle East, it is a key priority to count on women participating in peace-making, conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. Increasing the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace and security is a paramount challenge for both regions, the EU and the Arab countries. However, despite many global commitments and initiatives, particularly since Women, Peace and Security (WPS) first made it on to the UN Security Council’s agenda in 2000, with the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the number of women included in formal peace-making processes remains low; and many formal or informal peace initiatives do not include gender provisions that sufficiently address women’s security and peacebuilding needs.

Therefore, the Summer School will focus on:

• History of Euro-Arab relations and the role of women;
• The Women, Peace and Security agenda;
• Women in conflict resolution and peace building;
• Women in reconstruction: economic empowerment and social development;
• Women in post-conflict global and local governance and political participation;
• Skills-oriented modules: drafting policy briefs and papers bringing knowledge to policy, project design and advocacy.

For more details, please find here the programme of the 2024 Summer School on Euro-Arab relations.