Guest: Betty Reardon, Founder of Peace Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University

Host: Swarna Rajagopalan, Founding member of Women’s Regional Network.

Professor Reardon's pioneering work in peace, Education and Human Rights has laid the foundation for a new cross disciplinary integration of peace education and international human rights, from a gender global perspective, one of the first to make clear the connection between sexism, patriarchy and militarism, she has held the gender equality and justice are a prerequisite of peace, and women's participation and agency, a precondition of any sustainable peace.

Swarna Rajagopalan, reflects with Professor Betty on some of the most pressing concerns.

Q. In the 20 years since United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, on women, peace, and security, was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council, what has been the most tangible successes, and what are the most regrettable failures on our part, in your view?

Q. Talking about Afghanistan, in what way to recent events that reflect the shortcomings of the effectiveness, where has 1325 worked, and having an NAP worked for Afghanistan, and where has it not?

Q. With regard to international affairs, because you feel that you're this one small citizen in some distant part of the world, and your voice is too faint for the world to hear. So where would you suggest that people start as peace builders? Me?

Conversation: 24 September 2021