10 Women’s Peace Networks

And how they are changing the world

“We are either going to have a future where women lead the way to make peace with the Earth or we are not going to have a human future at all.” — Vandana Shiva

While often overlooked, women are (and always have been) a driving force behind movements for peace and justice worldwide. They are at the forefront of peace movements worldwide, are fighting for more equitable and sustainable peace agreements, and serve as mediators between communities in conflict.

There are innumerable national women-led peace initiatives worldwide, many regional networks, a range of global networks that support women peacebuilders in a variety of ways.

Noting the exclusion of women from policymaking and peace processes, some networks help women get a seat at the decision-making table. Recognizing the countless efforts and influence of women peacebuilders that go unrecognized, other networks to raise the visibility of women peacebuilders. Understanding how widely held perceptions about peace and war (even within the global peace movement) perpetuate violence and inequality, some networks advocate for feminist perspectives in global forums to address the causes of war.

Most networks, however, take a few approaches to support women peacebuilders and the causes they champion.

10 Women’s Peace Networks

There are hundreds of women’s peacebuilding networks, actually, much more than could be ever covered here. Most are local, national or regional networks, and a handful are global networks. Below, in no particular order, are ten global women’s peacebuilding networks that are changing the world.

1. Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF): Founded during WWI, WILPF is the world’s longest-standing women’s peace organization, long at the forefront of leveraging feminist thought to advance the global peace movement. WILPF uses feminist analysis and advocacy promoted by a mobilized feminist community to tackle patriarchy, militarism, and neoliberalism. WILPF is a membership-based movement that mobilizes and empowers women and feminist men, including through women-led efforts to prevent conflict and address the causes of war. The network supports…