The Global Contact Group for Women Mediators Networks, which includes representatives from the MWMN, the Nordic Women Mediators, Femwise and Women across the Commonwealth, came together in Rome on 2 April to strengthen synergies between regional networks and to prepare the launch of the Global Alliance of Women Mediators Networks.
The Global Contact Group was established on March 2018, when regional women mediators networks and international organisations met in Oslo during an event convened by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRIO, and NOREF, on behalf of the Nordic Women Mediators. During the sessions in Oslo, the participants reflected on the significance of women mediators networks and on the possibility of establishing a wider global alliance as a platform to share experiences and to increase the synergy between already existing networks.
During the meeting in Rome, participants shared updates on their activities and presented the initiatives planned for 2019. The group discussed extensively the way forward and agreed that the launch of the Global Alliance will take place at the end of September 2019 in New York, during the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 74).
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In the picture, from left to right: Emanuela Curnis (MWMN) Sirpa Mäenpää (Nordic Women Mediators) Irene Fellin (MWMN), Elisabeth Slåttum (Nordic Women Mediators), Catherine Samba-Panza (FemWise-Africa), Barbro Svedberg (Nordic Women Mediators) and Soad Shalaby (FemWise-Africa and MWMN), Katie Kelly (Women Mediators across the Commonwealth), Lina Ekomo (FemWise-Africa).
