First 2026 Meeting of the Women’s Alliance for Peace: Mediation, Emotions and Mental Health in Conflict Contexts

Madrid / Online, 28 January 2026 — The Women’s Alliance for Peace held yesterday its first meeting of 2026, with a training session focused on mediation processes and the management of emotions in conflict settings, a key challenge for the women working in peacebuilding on the ground.

Held online, the meeting brought together women mediators, negotiators and peace experts from different African contexts, within the framework of the Women’s Alliance for Peace, a joint initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) whose mission is to promote the crucial role of women as peacebuilders, negotiators and mediators in Africa. As in every meeting, the session opened with welcome remarks, followed by a shared discussion on the actions currently being carried out by the mediators.

During the session, one of the questions that resonated most strongly among participants was: “How can one work in a context where emotions are running high?” The question highlighted a reality shared by many mediators: the central role of emotions in conflicts, as well as the emotional impact these processes also have on those who facilitate dialogue.

The trainer, Charles Tenenbaum, addressed this issue by stressing that emotions are not a peripheral element of conflict, but rather one of its structural drivers. “The goal is not to neutralise emotions, but to recognise, legitimise and transform them,” he explained, emphasising that ignoring emotions can weaken mediation processes.

Tenenbaum also highlighted the importance of emotional protection for mediators. Among his recommendations, he underlined the need to work in pairs or teams in order to share the emotional burden, to take time to reflect on what has occurred after difficult sessions, and to allow oneself the option of stepping back temporarily when the emotional load becomes overwhelming. “Preserving mental health is essential. If you reach your emotional limits, listen to yourself,” he stated.

Another key message from the meeting was the importance of not taking on responsibilities that do not belong to the mediator’s role. “You are not responsible for managing or healing the emotions of the parties to the conflict,” the trainer reminded participants, noting that recognising an emotion does not mean taking sides, and that mediators’ emotional safety is an essential condition for the peace process, not a luxury.

This first meeting of 2026 marks the beginning of a new cycle of activities for the Women’s Alliance for Peace, aimed at strengthening the capacities of women mediators and continuing to promote inclusive, gender-sensitive peace approaches that are attentive both to conflict dynamics and to the well-being of those working to transform them.