Women are active players in reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction processes. Moreover, sustainable peace depends on equal representation of all citizens in peacetime decision-making.This collection of articles explores conflict prevention through development projects in places where resources are scarce, and age-old agreements between groups come under strain. Other activities take place to arrest existing conflicts, by forming alliances across warring forces - the authors argue that women play a significant but underestimated role in this type of work. Most of their activities take place through grassroots organisations, due to their lack of access to formal decision-making. Traditional stereotypes of mothers and wives are invoked by many women to legitimise innovative conflict prevention strategies which men might otherwise question.Other articles here focus on women’s efforts to build lasting peace through transforming old inequitable government structures into democratic institutions. International organisations and NGOs tend to limit their focus to women’s welfare and protection in conflict and post-conflict situations, but they should focus as well on supporting women’s attempts to gain access to leadership.