Page 48 - DIVA 2 2025 web

Women in

multilateral diplomacy

Imagine Rome without the Vatican. As a peace story begin? It depends. Whom you ask and how
envoy, Catherine of Siena was not always you de ne “diplomacy” o en colors the story.
successful. But she in uenced Pope Gregory
XI’s 1377 decision to return the papacy to For some, Catherine of Siena, later canonized as
Rome from Avignon -- despite her criticism Saint Catherine of Siena, is among the world’s
of the Church politics. On a slippering slope, rst woman diplomats. Not all agree. Some think
Catherine of Siena negotiated peace between the story of women in diplomacy began with the
the Florentine Republic and papal states. e 1915 International Congress of Women and the
Pope initially ignored her. e Florentines delegations of women, led by Jane Adams and
disowned her as their ambassador. Yet her Emily Green Balch, in their peace missions
political advocacy to promote cooperation around Europe to engage with stakeholders on
among leaders of divergent views remains a how to end World War I.
timeless device in multilateral diplomacy and
any peace process. “ e question of peace is a question of terms,”
said Balch, “ e only way to bring about lasting
Six centuries later, the story of women in peace is to be actively engaged in diplomacy and
diplomacy is o en disputable. Some of the negotiation, understanding the needs and fears of
disputed questions: When and where did the all parties involved.” Bach’s words may sound like an

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