Reconciliation The OSCE promoted discussions about the past as a tool for transition, and the further stabilization and democratization of a still fractious society. By improving citizens’ awareness of the county’s difficult past and supporting processes to deal with it, the county was better prepared to handle contemporary challenges and promote reconciliation. 5. Women’s networks as drivers for peace One of the OSCE’s key roles is to facilitate dialogue between conflict parties, to mediate, and to help them reconcile their positions. To promote dialogue, the OSCE brought together women from two societies that had many unresolved issues. The initiative aimed to promote women who were active in public and political life as role models and promoters of peace, reconciliation, tolerance, and conflict resolution. The first milestone was to bring prominent women from the two societies together, breaking the tradition of mutual suspicion, distrust, and animosity that had been building for decades. Women members of parliament, journalists, academics, and civil society activists from the two societies met for the first time on neutral territory to talk in an informal setting. The meetings often focused on gender issues, which united women from the two societies and stimulated constructive discussion. Further topics included their social and economic status; their participation in policy making, the labour market, and business; and their general role in public decision making and parliamentary structures. 80