Innovative Peace Fund – 2016 Video

In South Sudan, a nation where peace has long remained fragile and democratic progress uncertain, women are stepping forward to shape the future of their country. Long excluded from the corridors of power, they are forging their own movement for lasting change. 

Since gaining independence in 1948, Myanmar has been shaped by relentless conflict, political upheaval, and deep-seated resistance. Ethnic divisions, decades of military rule, and systemic gender inequality have compounded the struggles faced by women across the country. Yet, despite oppression and violence, Myanmar’s women have consistently led movements for justice and change, standing at the forefront of resistance. 

El proyecto "Voces femeninas para la paz" de Conciudadanía, que cuenta con el apoyo del Mecanismo de Respuesta Rápida del WPHF y de ICAN, promueve la participación política de las mujeres y sensibiliza sobre los problemas, intereses y necesidades de las mujeres del departamento de Antioquia, en el noroccidente colombiano.

Supported by the WPHF Rapid Response Window and ICAN, Conciudadanía's “Female Voices for Peace” project promotes women’s political participation and raises awareness about the issues, interests, and needs of women in the department of Antioquia in northwestern Colombia.  

The ongoing war in Syria has resulted in the world’s largest refugee crisis with more than 13 million people forcibly displaced since the beginning of the conflict in 2011. Kilis, a Turkish border city, is the main point of entry from Syria and is home to around 200,000 Syrians. Kareemat, a women-led peacebuilding organization in Kilis, Turkey, is making a profound impact on Syrian refugee women and their families. Supported by ICAN, Kareemat addresses the challenges of displacement, isolation, and economic hardships through psychological support, language classes, and economic empowerment resources, fostering integration and reducing tensions between Turkish and Syrian communities.

Despite staggering challenges and limited space to operate, the Women, Peace, Studies Organization (WPSO) continues to provide support for women in every province of Afghanistan.

On October 27, 2022, the Feminist Financing Group brought together representatives of Member States, the UN, and civil society for the first time since the adoption of the Financing Resolution to discuss concrete actions for more meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making around developing and implementing funding priorities.

We are delighted to release our new video “Reclaiming Power, Restoring Peace”, which gives a glimpse into the words, work, and unique nature of WASL.

ICAN's Founder and CEO, Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, MBE spoke to Anna Coren on CNN International on October, 27, 2022 about the current protests in Iran that began after the death of Mahsa Amini.

Through ICAN’s Innovative Peace Fund (IPF), we have supported the Association of War Affected Women (AWAW) in Sri Lanka since 2013. Visaka Dharmadasa, Founder and Chair of AWAW, spoke to our IPF Program Director, France Bognon, about how flexible funding in their project yielded unexpected results.

Funded by ICAN’s Innovative Peace Fund (IPF), AWAPSA launched a project across Kenya’s coastal counties to increase awareness of SGBV, educate women and girls on how to report instances of SGBV, and facilitate the reporting of cases to the police. One of the most significant and unforeseen outcomes of AWAPSA’s project was the establishment of Kenya’s first special court for handling SGBV cases, which opened in March 2022, at Shanzu Law Courts, Mombasa.

Nearly every month through 2021, Sanam Naraghi Anderlini MBE, founder of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) and director of LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security, hosted conversations with pioneering women peacebuilders from around the world and their allies working internationally on issues of peace and security.