On 28 January, Nordic Women Mediators–Norway (NWM–No) convened its first membership meeting of the year at PRIO, gathering 19 network members in-person and online and 4 guests—including the South African Ambassador to Norway, Delores Kotzė. The meeting brought participants together to reflect on the current landscape of peace mediation and inclusion, as well as to mark—belatedly—the tenth anniversary of the Nordic Women Mediators network, which was launched in November 2015.
The meeting focused on the geopolitical shifts that are reshaping the field of peace mediation. Increasingly, mediation efforts are described as “transactional,” with negotiated outcomes prioritised over inclusive, long-term peace processes—often sidelining those most directly affected by conflict. Participants were invited to critically consider what these developments mean for efforts to include women and gender perspectives in mediation: Do current conditions call for new strategies? How can inclusive approaches be sustained? And what role can networks such as Nordic Women Mediators play going forward?
To frame the discussion, the meeting featured a keynote address by Chris Coulter, Director of the Berghof Foundation in Berlin. Drawing on more than two decades of experience working on conflict resolution across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and South America, Coulter reflected on emerging trends in mediation practice and the future of inclusive leadership in peace processes. Her remarks were followed by comments from NWM–N member Ingebjørg Finnbakk (NOREF) and an open discussion moderated by Torunn L. Tryggestad, Director of the PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security.
The formal programme concluded with a social gathering marking the ten-year anniversary of Nordic Women Mediators, providing space for informal exchange and networking among members. Ambassador Delores Kotzé was invited as a special guest to commemorate South Africa’s role in inspiring the establishment of the Nordic Women Mediators Network, which drew on the experience of a similar network in South Africa.
