The absence of women from peace negotiations and insufficient expertise on gender-based violence in peace mediation teams limit the success of peace processes.

CMI and the West African Network for Peacebuilding have joined forces in order to promote professional practice in these areas. Through collection and comparative analysis of experiences from West African conflicts and peace mediation processes, the project develops recommendations on how to address these questions effectively.

The joint project targets West African mediation experts working on violent conflicts around Africa, and it was launched in January 2011.