"Woman on rope": When Women Rise, So Does Humanity

"Woman on Rope": When Women Rise, So Does Humanity What if choosing peace also meant choosing women—and choosing to have them at the table where peace is negotiated? This question lies at the heart of Woman on Rope, a session bringing together art, women’s leadership, diplomacy and peacebuilding to explore how women’s meaningful participation can transform the way peace is built. 

The programme will open with a screening of "Woman on Rope", a short film by Guila Clara Kessous, UNESCO Artist for Peace, directed by Aurelia Khazan and produced by Kiem Khen Than Nath. The screening will be followed by a high-level roundtable bringing together women leaders, mediators and peacebuilders to reflect on women’s contribution to dialogue, negotiation and sustainable peace. "Woman on Rope" portrays the invisible tightrope walked by women confronted with violence, fear and constrained choices, while highlighting resilience, dignity and agency. 

The film offers a human entry point into the realities of conflict and the capacity of women to rebuild trust and communities. At the heart of the discussion is the "Femina Pax Resolution" initiative, calling for a concrete target of at least 30% representation of women in UN-led peace negotiations and mediation processes. While women are often among those most affected by conflict, they remain significantly underrepresented at formal negotiating tables. 

The roundtable will explore how to turn women’s participation into a measurable commitment, and how inclusive dialogue can open new possibilities where formal channels are constrained. By connecting art, lived experience and policy dialogue, the session asks what it truly means to Choose Peace—and who must have a voice in shaping it.