Epistemic Responsibility and the Meaningful Participation of Women in the European Union’s Peace Mediation Practices: The Case of the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue

Yıl 2024, Sayı: 1, 89 - 120, 24.12.2024

Burcu Özdemir-sarıgil

https://doi.org/10.46655/federgi.1547759

Öz

This article analyzes women’s participation in the European Union’s (EU) mediation efforts, using the case of peace negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia. The article combines the approaches of ‘meaningful participation,’ rooted in gender equality, alongside epistemic responsibility. Since 2011, the EU has mediated the peace talks, wielding significant influence over both parties, whıch have been candidates for EU membership. Given this influence, the study questions how and to what extent the EU has ensured women's equal and meaningful involvement. Through process tracing and examination of EU and women’s organizations’ texts, findings reveal that civil society groups representing women were excluded from high-level negotiations. Despite women’s advocacy, the EU did not integrate women’s demands into official agreements. This case shows that, while the EU has significant potential and rhetoric on gender equality, it has not effectively applied a gender-sensitive approach. This gap between its discourse and actions brings a critical perspective on the EU’s epistemic responsibilities and its self-image as a normative actor in international mediation.

Anahtar Kelimeler

European Union, peace mediation, Kosovo-Serbia negotiations, Women, Peace and Security agenda

Epistemik Sorumluluk ve Avrupa Birliği’nin Arabuluculuk Pratiklerinde Kadınların Barış Müzakerelerine Anlamlı Katılımı: Kosova-Sırbistan Diyaloğu Örneği

Öz

Bu makale, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği normunun şekillendirdiği ‘anlamlı katılım’ anlayışı ile ‘epistemik sorumluluk’ perspektifini birleştirerek, Kosova ve Sırbistan arasındaki barış müzakereleri örneği üzerinden, Avrupa Birliği’nin (AB) arabuluculuk pratiklerinde kadınların resmi müzakere süreçlerine katılımını incelemektedir. AB’ye tam üyelik sürecinde olan Kosova ve Sırbistan arasında devam eden barış müzakerelerinin 2011 yılından bu yana baş arabulucusu AB’dir ve tarafların hükümetleri üzerinde ciddi bir kaldıraç etkisi vardır. Kritik soru ise, bu etki ve sorumlulukla AB’nin kadınların müzakerelere eşit ve anlamlı katılımını hangi yollarla ve ne ölçüde sağlayabildiğidir. Süreç izleme yöntemiyle, AB ve sivil toplum tarafından yayınlanan birincil metinler üzerinden yapılan inceleme göstermektedir ki, kadınları temsilen sivil toplum örgütleri üst düzey resmi müzakerelere dahil edilmemişlerdir. Müzakere heyetlerinde kadınların niceliksel varlığı ise sembolik düzeyde kalmıştır. Çalışmanın bir başka bulgusu, kadınların çabalarına rağmen AB’nin hazırladığı anlaşma metinlerinde kadınların taleplerine yeterince yer vermemiş olmasıdır. Bu önemli örnek üzerinden çalışmanın vardığı sonuç, AB’nin ciddi potansiyeline ve söylemlerine rağmen, toplumsal cinsiyete duyarlı bir arabuluculuk pratiğini hayata geçiremediğidir. Söylem ve pratik arasındaki bu fark, AB’nin epistemik sorumlulukları ve normatif aktörlük iddiası ekseninde gelişen tartışmalara yeni bir boyut kazandıracak niteliktedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Avrupa Birliği, barış arabuluculuğu, Kosova-Sırbistan müzakereleri, Kadın Barış ve Güvenlik gündemi, kadınların anlamlı katılımı

Etik Beyan

Araştırma makalesinin etik kurallara uyduğunu beyan ederim.

Teşekkür

Doç. Dr. Rahime Süleymanoğlu-Kürüm ve Doç. Dr. Ayşegül Gökalp Kutlu'ya makalenin ilk taslağı üzerinden verdikleri değerli yorumlara teşekkür ederim.

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