The Institute of International Relations in Prague organized in cooperation with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague a public lecture 'Gender in Development and Post-Conflict Peace-Building' in December 5, 2013. The lecture was presented by Claudia von Braunmühl, Honorary Professor of international relations at Freie Universität Berlin. Her presentation was consequently discussed by Běla Plechanovová, Head of the department of international relations of Charles University in Prague.
The UN Decade of Women (1975-1985) and the work of international women’s movements made gender issues visible in many areas of international politics, leading to the development of gender practices in this field. This is also the case with development aid and post-conflict peace-building, the two policy areas in the focus of the event. While each of these policy areas has its own characteristic features, overarching gender stereotypes and patriarchal attitudes operate in both of them.
After the lecture by Claudia von Braunmühl and the reaction of Běla Plechanovová, both panelists engaged in a discussion with the audience. Topics such as the practical limits of gender mainstreaming, the successes and failures of the Resolution 1325 as well as practical policies on gender in international politics were subjects of the debate.