Established in 2012, the Missing Peace Initiative, brings together policymakers, practitioners, scholars, and survivors to strengthen understanding of evidence-based responses to sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict settings. The Missing Peace Initiative is a partnership between the Center for Human Rights, Gender and Migration, the US Institute of Peace, Peace Research Institute of Oslo, Women in International Security, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Participants work together to identify gaps in research, policy, and practice and explore how to improve the effectiveness of current responses to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Since 2013, the Missing Peace Initiative has hosted a summer scholar workshop, to bring forth new research on CRSV through the Missing Peace Scholars Network. The network supports the professional development of emerging scholars focused on CRSV and disseminates their work to broader research, government, and civil society audiences. In 2020, the Center for Human Rights, Gender and Migration hosted the first virtual Scholar Workshop.
This year, the Missing Peace Scholar Workshop was a three-day event held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. There, global junior and senior scholars shared their work, gathered feedback, collaborated, and received additional training on how to distribute their findings and recommendations with external community members.
The first day consisted of scholars presenting their work related to CRSV that intersects with topics such as atrocity prevention, intersecting identities, and environmental challenges. Scholars discussed their findings and gathered feedback on potential next steps in their work. The day ended with a discussion on sharing their research and findings with policymakers, funders, or community members. They then workshopped on developing a quick two-minute presentation.
Day 2 continued with additional presentations and panel discussions from experts in the field of CRSV, moderated by Center Director, Kim Thuy Seelinger. Following, policymakers attended a speed briefing session where scholars shared their work, recommendations, and calls to action. The day ended with a reception where scholars connected with the policymakers one-on-one and further elaborated on their work. This allowed scholars to establish and build a relationship with these policymakers and guide U.S. policies with their work.
On the third day, our center closed the workshop by presenting a project with the US Institute of Peace on survivor-centered and evidence-based approaches to CRSV programming for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Julia López, PhD followed with a presentation on vicarious trauma and self-care, during which she led an impactful box-breathing practice session. Attendees closed the workshop with reflections and a discussion on the importance of mental health and self-care in this field.
Conference attendees agree that additional research in conflict-related sexual violence is needed to guide policies and direct practice. The Missing Peace Initiative and the Summer Scholars Workshop support scholars in the growth and dissemination of this research. Learn more about the Missing Peace Initiative.