Sarah Taylor, Ph.D.
taylor.sarah@gmail.com
The New School
About Me:
Dr. Taylor is an expert on women’s rights and women’s participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict reconstruction. She has extensive experience working with non-governmental organizations, UN actors, and UN Member States on these issues. A Senior Fellow at the International Peace Institute (IPI), she leads the organization’s program on women, peace and security. Prior to joining IPI, she was the women, peace and security advocate in the women’s rights division at Human Rights Watch (HRW). She focused both on international accountability frameworks on women’s rights in conflict, and on women, peace and security concerns in specific country situations, including Burma, Afghanistan, Syria, and the Central African Republic. Before joining HRW, Sarah was the Executive Coordinator of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security. Under her leadership, the NGOWG developed innovative policy briefings and accountability tools for the UN Security Council’s obligations on women, peace and security. In her academic work, Sarah has conducted research on women conflict negotiators, particularly in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and has written on numerous aspects of the women, peace and security agenda. Sarah holds an MA from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and an MPhil and a PhD from the New School for Social Research in New York, all in Political Science.
Research Interests
Conflict Processes & War
Gender and Politics
Human Rights
Peacekeeping
Women And Security
United Nations
Publications:
Book Chapters:
Forthcoming 2018, “Advocacy and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda:”. in S.E.Davies and J. True (Eds). Oxford Handbook of Women, Peace and Security (New York: Oxford University Press).
Chapter (co-author), Women, Peace and Security and the UN Security Council, United Nations Global Study on Women, Peace and Security, October 2015 Over the past fifteen years, the breadth and quantity of women, peace and security language used by the Council has greatly increased. However, actual implementation of these mandates has been uneven. The majority of the Security Council’s work on women, peace and security has focused on protection of women and girls rather than prevention or effective participation. The Council's implementation of the WPS agenda would be improved with dedicated high-level leadership on women, peace and security, as well as more consistent and accountable information flow from across the UN gender architecture.
Other:
Women make up just over half of the population in Burma, but have been noticeably absent from peace negotiations to end armed conflict in the country. Beyond women holding few, if any, senior positions in the parties involved in these negotiations, many women’s groups report being treated with disdain or as “spoilers” for pressing for the inclusion of women’s rights. International human rights law and the principles contained in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions on women, peace and security obligate governments to take steps to remove discrimination against women in public life and ensure their right to take part in the conduct of public affairs. These should set the standard for the essential role of women in Burma in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, including in peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and in post-conflict reconstruction. Women in Burma need a greater role in the peace process not only because they suffer many of the consequences of the conflict, but also because their participation can best ensure that the full range of human rights concerns is addressed in any peace agreement. Addressing the human rights issues that are frequently at the core of conflicts, particularly those with an ethnic component, can be crucial for obtaining a long and durable peace.
Media Appearances:
TV Appearances:
A 400-page report targeting peacekeepers accused of serious crimes, including sex crimes. It’s pushing for creating a special international tribunal to bring justice for women abused in conflict zones. CCTV America spoke with Sarah Taylor. She’s the Women, Peace and Security Advocate for Human Rights Watch.
Radio Appearances:
UN Security Council adopts resolution to include women in peace talks Sarah Taylor, executive Coordinator of the NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security, says the adoption of this resolution is the result of a sustained push from UN member states and NGOs. Presenter: Geraldine Coutts Speaker: Sarah Taylor, Executive Coordinator of the NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security Project
Other:
A full list of my appearances for IPI can be found on the women, peace and security section of our website.