CSW69 parallel event: Feminist Futures - Rethinking Peace and Security in Eastern Europe/Ukraine

The event aims to explore feminist perspectives on peace and security in the context of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. The discussion will address the ongoing challenges posed by the Russian war against Ukraine as well as the Russian imperial presence in the region and highlight the role of women and LGTBQ+ persons in civil society, the military, and energy security. Drawing on feminist analysis of peace and security through the framework of “continuum of violence”, the event seeks to highlight multiple forms of insecurity, posed by (the Russian) authoritarian regime - such as: structural violence against women and queer persons; legislative rollbacks and crackdown on rights and freedoms; armed violence through war and invasion; epistemic violence through erasure or misrepresentation of experience. By highlighting voices from the ground, the event seeks to contribute to epistemic justice and create a space for discussion of plural visions of peace and security from a feminist perspective. 

Objectives:

• To foster a dialogue on the intersection of feminism and security in Eastern Europe.
• To critique traditional security paradigms through a decolonial framework.
• To develop actionable strategies for enhancing community resilience and security.
• To foster connections of solidarity from those affected by russian imperialism, as well as other armed conflicts and historical colonial/imperial violence

The event will be structured around three key pillars of conversation:

• Human Security and the role of Civil Society: Building Resilient Communities
• Army: Women’s Roles in Building Defense System
• Energy Security: A Feminist Perspective

Duration: 1.5 hours

Speakers:

• Oksana Potapova, a researcher, human rights defender, women’s rights activist, and co-founder of the Ukrainian Feminist Network

• Kateryna Pryimak, head of Veteranka movement, a veteran, and a combat medic. 

• Valentyna Beliakova, head of Women’s Energy Club of Ukraine

Moderation:

Galyna Kotliuk, Gender Democracy program coordinator at Heinrich Boell Foundation, office Kyiv-Ukraine

Registration is not required

Venue: Salvation Army, 221 E. 52nd St., New York, NY 10022

Contact: 

Galyna Kotliuk, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Kyiv Office, Galyna.Kotliuk@ua.boell.org

Anna Antonina Lysiak, Heinrich Böll Foundation Berlin, Anna.Lysiak@boell.de