‘Debate me’ has its limits The *discussion on “Facing the Global Gender Backlash”* may well have been a first at the Munich Security Conference — but Kosovo’s president, Vjosa Osmani, nailed perfectly why it was central to the agenda. Osmani explained how female negotiators secure faster and more durable <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFqaY1P51mqh4EeDAwljMIyzow13dN_ibxKzikNdXN3auSFlmUXjUSCinIyOKDFpu7Ns=> peace settlements — not least in her own country — but also how *authoritarian leaders’ attacks on women’s rights* are deliberately targeting “one of the most empowering factors towards a democracy.” “This is not some woke agenda, this is geopolitical priority in itself,” she said, also emphasizing the *economic damage to a country from oppressing women* — by “leaving half of your population outside of your economic potential” — which meant “men and women, boys and girls alike, lose from not having equality.” Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, chief executive of the Washington-based International Civil Society Action Network <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFzWZNeibsmv0wX3cJ0B01DW9KL8yB9a-FDfHnFXn8JzZtTGo_qDiO80hrVfl0K8YRV8=>, revealed that *several men had been asked to appear on the panel, but all had refused*, suggesting sarcastically: “Maybe they had other priorities?” Osmani called the no-show “quite discouraging.” *Further reading from our Munich coverage:* - Munich diary: The latest from the jam-packed security conference. <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POrnPnvUbNmc-DaZkTJKP0CHrzHNa7mKUZr3r5NJvzfuWsybMKVi0TteDFGdzy4JW01bYp3H1kybxJPsK11whtsQbFCo-lcpSDyxlaX7OkTD-HJV6exItDigARwY7FoFCMxK-8MUeYIJdZ2VYMwCqo5RynjO3t9hEPuzE3YJU41yyVl4Hke8oskNFVljb9IE6ynTvE--SS_BYOjeDBhT78spZ8yfPHew9QNoIclIRUZVSMnr3Fk83kEy4HMOp8g00fA==/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFvkDUArGnlRk4K8HZAnB9ZEWmVmW9fOHwKz8x_zC5wua6o1cB7QGa5t-qRVFXd93Jt0=> - Senator warns legal victory may not stop USAID restructuring plans. <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POoOtUi1UZgl_03XBoBcisKPKF1NalWxIShgdwxi91YI7N-ZjMToJsjPxSisGPQ_s0Xt3JIDtbMeAHT79eMEd19W3uan6zgBZqBwFdjlbdQNnrGPGIQGtSHY3gTRkRU3c0wUfe0XJeMdRir5XLV2VSdLGPut20WjPCgpj69OtrxfzhaBpnXjvjav5tkTZYJYrjpZ--TW_lVNEowVjCVfzel0-eBQnTYAZ3D505qRGFai-noVPqSc-Ho7JMFb-mJkIdw==/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFvkDUArGnlRk4K8HZAnB9ZEWmVmW9fOHwKz8x_zC5wua6o1cB7QGa5t-qRVFXd93Jt0=> - Europe feels the pressure <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POig6K_6k2y73Jhxj3WzioVcQymv4oJBDT2gjNLz4kP1t0eAQJG-IT45I33CMUOuyC-G9kq4HFRzJCPTnHgkyItvYQj_9uo24MHs-G0y4HV7Syh56jmxxCJRsntNyWYAcG0vuGLO5S2fu-AA0rgOebCO7hlZyU8FxzlVjCZ-dl-i593pmnRQk6q_ZXGHAf_0f14N4ySEqQSZrxgxLwr6-kbgQeiI1PoSs9Zcd374t-gwv/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGYszLyFvkDUArGnlRk4K8HZAnB9ZEWmVmW9fOHwKz8x_zC5wua6o1cB7QGa5t-qRVFXd93Jt0=> as U.S. cuts off foreign aid.