Ok, call me a policy wonk (I can take it!), but I'm a bit excited about the International Crisis Group's new report on Darfur entitled, "Darfur: Revitalising the Peace Process. " I was at an event at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. this morning where Crisis Groups' Dave Mozersky introduced the report and outlined Crisis Group's main recommendations for the peace process in Darfur. Mozersky's co-panelist, Carla Koppell of The Intiative for Inclusive Security , highlighted the need for a broadly inclusive peace process with the representation of women's groups; Mozersky also empahsized the importance of representation from Arab tribes, civil society and internally-displaced persons. The current Darfur Peace Agreement lacks legitimacy -- after so many ceasefire violations and continued attacks on villages, very few Darfurians find it relevant anymore -- so any new attempt at a peace process must bring diverse parties from Darfur to the table. As Koppell pointed out, women in particular bring a different set of issues to the negotiating table in comparison to the rebels and the Sudanese government who have been occupied with fighting each other. Women and children currently make up 85% of the displaced in Darfur, and Darfurian women often become the head of their households due to the crisis.

With all of the talk in the media about deploying the most robust protection force for Darfur possible (which is immensely important!), we seem to forget that a re-energized and inclusive political process will also be an important factor in bringing peace to Darfurians. One of the most difficult issues is unifying the splintered Darfur rebel groups -- now rumored to be over a dozen. I certainly hope the international community can rally around the upcoming first anniversary of the flawed Darfur Peace Agreement this month to start building an effective process for sustainable peace in Darfur.