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Recapping The 4th Annual Texas Symposium on Women, Peace, and Security

WPS Symposium

The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Symposium provides a timely opportunity to address the challenges and opportunities of the WPS agenda by discussing them in a bi-partisan environment, developing connections between Texas, regional, and national stakeholders. This symposium was held on November 5, 2018, at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University.

Symposium Highlights | Symposium Agenda

Symposium Highlights

Opening Remarks with Dean Mark A. Welsh III

  • Mark Welsh III, Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service, and Dr. Valerie Hudson, Director of the Bush School’s Program on Women, Peace, and Security, give their opening remarks at the 4th annual Women, Peace and Security Symposium.
  • Watch Opening Remarks with Dean Mark A. Welsh III
  • Video length: 7:28

Opening Keynote Speaker – Jamie Dobie

  • Jamie Dobie, Executive Director of Peace is Loud, highlights new projects at Peace is Loud in her opening remarks at the 4th annual Women, Peace and Security Symposium.
  • Watch Opening Keynote Speaker – Jamie Dobie
  • Video length: 43:16

New Research on Women, Peace, and Security

  • Dr. Valerie Hudson, Texas A&M University, Dr. Michelle Taylor-Robinson, Texas A&M University, Dr. Maria Escobar-Lemmon, Texas A&M University and Professor Natalie Wright Romeri-Lewis, Brigham Young University, discuss new research on women, peace and security.
  • Watch New Research on WPS
  • Video length: 51:08

Texas Perspectives of Women, Peace and Security

  • Dr. Melissa Torres, Director of Human Trafficking Research Portfolio at the University of Texas at Austin, Dixie Hairston, Research Program Manager for the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault at The University of Texas at Austin, Janet Kasper, East Texas Regional Administrator for the Texas Governor’s Office Child Sex Trafficking Team, and Ashley Alley, former intern with the Child Sex Trafficking Team from the Office of the Texas Governor, come together to discuss how Women, Peace and Security is reflected in human trafficking policy throughout the state of Texas.
  • Watch Texas Perspectives of Women, Peace and Security
  • Video length: 56:07

Council on Foreign Relations, Women and Foreign Policy Program – How the Status of Women Advances U.S. Foreign Policy

  • Rachel Vogelstein, Director of Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, Jamille Bigio, Senior Fellow in the Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Adjunct Senior Fellow in the Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations and Sarah Boyd, Fulbright Scholar, Harvard Kennedy School (Gender and Foreign Policy) discuss how the Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations works towards promoting the status of women in U.S. Foreign Policy.
  • Watch Council on Foreign Relations, Women and Foreign Policy Program – How the Status of Women Advances U.S. Foreign Policy
  • Video length: 54:38

Council on Foreign Relations, How Women, Peace and Security Initiatives are Reflected in Security Policy

Council on Foreign Relations. Q&A

  • Jamille Bigio, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon and Rachel Vogelstein from the Council on Foreign Relations field questions from the audience at the Women, Peace and Security Symposium.
  • Watch Council on Foreign Relations. Q&A
  • Video length: 11:51

Closing Keynote Speaker – Jacqueline O’Neill

Symposium Agenda

Logo for Program on Women, Peace, and Security

The 4th Annual Texas Symposium on Women, Peace, and Security

Implementing the Vision of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

Monday, November 5, 2018
9 AM – 6 PM

Description

The Texas Symposium on Women, Peace, and Security is designed to bring together academics, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in advancing the goals of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which advocates for the increased participation of women in matters of national security, including conflict resolution, peace-building, countering violent extremism, transitional justice, and post-conflict reconstruction. The WPS agenda also suggests that national security and human security must proceed hand in hand for peace to be durable and just, including issues that some might see as normally within the scope of national security, such as education, health, and welfare. Women’s perspectives and voice on issues of national security has been sorely lacking, and this symposium is a contribution to the rectification of that deficiency. The Texas Symposium on WPS also aspires to showcase Texas-based scholarship, philanthropy, programming, and policy on these important issues.

Location

Annenberg Presidential Conference Center
1002 George Bush Drive West
College Station, Texas 77843

Agenda

9–9:10 AM
Conference Welcome Address
Dean Mark A. Welsh III, Bush School of Government & Public Service, Texas A&M University

9:10-9:15 AM
Conference Orientation and Logistics
Valerie M. Hudson, Director, Program on Women, Peace, and Security, Bush School of Government & Public Service

9:15-9:55 AM
Opening Remarks, with Discussion Following
Telling the story of Women, Peace & Security: Who narrates the world? Jamie Dobie, Executive Director, Peace is Loud

10:00-11:10 AM
How Women, Peace and Security Initiatives are Reflected in Security Policy
Panel Speakers:

  • LT. COL. Bradley Orchard, U.N. Women
  • CMD Suzanne Mainor, Joint Staff/J5 Stability and Humanitarian Engagement Division, United States Department of Defense
  • Olivia Holt-Ivry, Independent Consultant
  • Moderator: Elizabeth Weingarten, Senior Fellow, Better Life Lab, New America

11:10-11:20 AM
Break

11:20 AM–12:20 PM
Second Keynote Speaker
Sarah Chayes, author of Thieves of State: Why Corruption Threatens Global Security

12:20–12:45 PM
Networking Break

12:45-1:30 PM
Panelists’ lunch

1:30–2:40 PM
Council on Foreign Relations, Women and Foreign Policy Program: How the Status of Women advances US Foreign Policy
Panel Speakers:

  • Rachel Vogelstein, Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow, Director of Women and Foreign Policy Program, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Jamille Bigio, Senior Fellow, Women and Foreign Policy Program, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Women and Foreign Policy Program, Council on Foreign Relations and Author of Dressmaker of Khair Khana and Ashley’s War
  • Moderator: Sarah Boyd, Fulbright Scholar, Harvard Kennedy School (Gender and Foreign Policy); Practitioner Fellow, Monash Gender Peace and Security Center

2:45–3:45 PM
Texas Perspectives on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS): Trafficking
Panel Speakers:

  • Janet Kasper, East Texas Regional Administrator, Child Sex Trafficking Team, Texas Governor’s Office
  • Melissa Torres, Director of Human Trafficking Research Portfolio, University of Texas at Austin/Vice President of the International Board, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
  • Ashley Alley, former intern with the Child Sex Trafficking Team from the Office of the Texas Governor, and current Bush School MPA student
  • Moderator: Dixie Hairston, Research Program Manager, Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, The University of Texas at Austin

3:45–3:55 PM
Break

3:55–4:55 PM
New Research on Women, Peace, and Security
Panel Speakers:

  • Natalie Wright Romeri-Lewis, J.D., M.Sc., Brigham Young University/ The WomanStats Project / Global Truth Commission Index
  • Michelle M. Taylor-Robinson, Texas A&M University
  • Maria C. Escobar-Lemmon, Associate Dean and Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University
  • Moderator: Valerie M. Hudson, The Bush School, Texas A&M University

5:00–5:30 PM
Closing Reflections
Jacqueline O’Neill, Global Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center’s Canada Institute

5:30–6:00 PM
Closing Reception, Presidential Conference Center Atrium