Gender in Foreign Policy Discussion Group

The Gender and Foreign Policy Discussion Group will provide a forum for members to discuss the relevance of gender considerations in foreign policy objectives and the gender focused programs implemented to achieve these objectives. The monthly Discussion Group will cover topics such as: Women's Political Participation- A Case Study on Liberia: What Difference Does a Critical Mass of Women in Government Actually Make? Can Addressing Gender Concerns Expedite Transitional Justice? The New UN Rape Resolution; Increasing the Inclusion of Women in U.S. Government Peacebuilding and Post-Conflict Reconstruction Initiatives – Why it is Important, and What We can Do; Women in Islam – Why a Deeper Understanding of Shari'ah Law Will Increase the Effectiveness of U.S . Foreign Policy Goals in Muslim Countries; Focus on Family Law and Property Rights – A World Bank Secret to Increasing Economic Growth? Negotiating Gender – Dealing with Gender in the Palestinian Negotiation Support Unit, is it Relevant to Middle East Peace? Targeting Men in HIV/AIDS Prevention ; Child Marriage – Why it Happens, Why It Matters, and What we Can Do. The Discussion Group will also have a B alancing Work and Family discussion series and a mentoring event with policy makers of the group's choosing.

Discussion Group Chair: Kati Kargman

Kati is currently Program Coordinator for the Iraqi Women's Democracy Initiative in the Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women's Issues at the U.S. Department of State. She recently designed a five point plan to increase the inclusion of women in State Department Peacebuilding and Post-Conflict Reconstruction initiatives. Before working the State Department, Kati interned at the Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Program, where she focused on Nepal in preparation for a prospective visit by President Carter to meditate between the King, the Political Parties and the Maoists. Before that, she interned at Mercy Corps/Conflict Management Group, where she helped to organize a week of negotiation training for Israeli and Palestinian Negotiators from the Israeli Defense Forces and the Palestinian Negotiation Support Unit. Kati received her BA from Harvard University where she wrote her undergraduate thesis on "Best Practices from the Dayton Peace Accords: How to Mitigate Tensions and Reduce Communal Conflict in Iraq."