Local Voices in Transnational Spaces Diaspora Activists and the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda
Abstract
This article sheds light on the status of women diaspora activists in transnational advocacy working to advance the WPS Agenda. Despite calls for solidarity, even “feminist” spaces face challenges for linking the Global North and South to advance advocacy efforts, challenges that are magnified when dealing with the issue of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). We focus on the stories of women diaspora activists working on active conflicts in the Global South and the ways these activists sought to embed themselves discursively in the WPS framework. We adopt an insider-outsider perspective to study their participation and draw insights on gender-related aspects of diaspora inclusion. We argue that the constraints on including local voices and perspectives in WPS advocacy is certainly contributing to some of the cracks in implementation. However, the construction of transnational solidarity by women for women’s security issues is improving the possibilities for meaningful participation.
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