Women, constitution making and peace processes

This paper is part of a Gender Briefing Series to support women’s meaningful participation and the integration of gender perspectives in peace processes that aim to end violent intrastate conflict. The key target audience of these series of papers is women, gender equality advocates, and others engaged in peace processes, who wish to influence negotiations with a view to:

• addressing the particular experiences of women during conflict, and
• achieving lasting peace process outcomes that will improve women’s lives and the lives of those around them.

Constitutions form the fundamental legal document in states where they exist, and will usually have priority over ordinary legislation. They provide an interpretive lens through which legislation will be applied, and set the tone for law-making generally. Women and minorities can anchor rights claims and legal claims against discrimination in constitutional language.

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