Women, War, and Change: Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini’s Path to Global Advocacy
“You bring women to the table and they’ll talk to you both about what the men are going through and what the boys are going through and what the girls are going through. And I think it’s really important to bear that human perspective in mind, the totality of it.”
Today, my guest is author and peace activist Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. As Founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), Sanam has spent over two decades advancing peace, security, and women’s rights worldwide. She leads the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership, supporting women-led organizations in over 40 countries, and spearheaded ICAN’s Innovative Peace Fund, channelling millions to grassroots peacebuilders. A key architect of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, she has shaped global policy on peace and security while advising the UN, governments, and academia. She is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Mellon Fellow at UMass Amherst. Sanam’s expertise and advocacy continue to shape the future of inclusive peacebuilding. I was delighted to have her as a guest, so I hope you are sitting comfortably and are happy to stay with us.
We began our conversation with a focus on how women are perceived by young men and the rising levels of violence (02:33), before moving on to the subject of influencers pushing an agenda that diminishes women’s rights for profit (04:14). We then discussed the concept of women being used as window dressing for powerful forces (12:02), before talking about Sanam’s work with ICAN (22:45). I asked Sanam about the environments in which ICAN is working in and how that has changed (39:40), as well as what advice she can give to others (44:15). We wrapped up our conversation with Sanam sharing what future projects she is working on (50:45).
Show Notes
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Sanam Naraghi Anderlini at Open Democracy
- UN Resolution 1325
- If You Were In Charge podcast
For more, hear my conversations with Dr. Tobias Endler, Mary Ward, and Clodagh Finn.
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