News and Updates
Widespread Violence Across Libya Threatens Women Peacebuilders
The Libyan Women’s Forum (LWF), member of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL), invited their colleague and Libyan parliamentarian, Ibtesam Al Rubai, to join the WASL weekly community call on July 20, 2022 to discuss the situation in Libya.
Ms. Al Rubai explained how increasing control and conflict among various militant groups in Libya has excluded women from public life and condoned widespread violence. Violence and threats against women peacebuilders, activists and women human rights defenders has caused many to retreat from participating in political life and civil society, resulting in a drawback of many of the hard-won gains in women’s rights.
Outcome Document from the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues Series on Innovative Solutions for Feminist Financing for Peacebuilding
The lack of quality financing for peacebuilding is a major challenge to sustainable peace. Quality financing is adequate, flexible, predictable, and sustainable financial mechanisms for local women peacebuilders who are the first responders to crises and best positioned to advance sustainable peace in their communities. This outcome document from the multi-stakeholder dialogues series on innovative solutions for feminist financing for peacebuilding outlines five key priorities moving forward.
Reclaiming Power, Restoring Peace: Concluding ICAN’s 9th Women, Peace, and Security Forum
ICAN’s 9th Women, Peace, and Security Forum: Reclaiming Power, Restoring Peace concluded on Friday June 3, 2022, following four days of strategizing, exchanging, and building solidarity on Bandos Island, Maldives.
Sanam Naraghi Anderlini’s Statement at the High-Level International Conference on Human Rights, Civil Society and Counter-Terrorism
ICAN’s Founder and CEO, Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, MBE, at the High-Level International Conference on Human Rights, Civil Society and Counter-Terrorism in Málaga, Spain, organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Government of the Kingdom of Spain.
ICAN’s Annual Report 2021
ICAN is pleased to announce the release of our 2021 Annual Report. Find out about our mission, approach, work and reflections on a challenging year, including our response to the crisis in Afghanistan and developments in the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL).
ICAN Welcomes New Member of the Board of Directors, André Mundal
It is with immense pleasure that the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) Board of Directors and staff welcome André Mundal in joining the Board of Trustees. At a time of increasing complexity and insecurity globally, where the work of ICAN and its partners – women peacebuilders around the world in the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) – is even more urgent and necessary, André’s contributions and experiences will be immensely valuable.
Where Do We Go From Here? Reflections on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
In response to the UK’s plan to host an international conference on the ten-year anniversary of their preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative (PVSI), members of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) shared their reflections during our weekly community check-in call. Despite mention of conflict related and other sexual violence (CRSV) in 8 security council resolutions since 2008, there remains substantial gap in implementation with the Secretary General’s reports indicating low levels of compliance by conflict parties.
Race, Power and Peacebuilding
Race, Power and Peacebuilding aims to explore and to understand how racism manifests itself in the peacebuilding sector. This report has been produced by Peace Direct in collaboration with the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) and United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY).
Upcoming High-Level Hybrid Roundtable: Innovative Solutions for Feminist Financing for Peacebuilding
ICAN together with GPPAC, GNWP, Kvinna till Kvinna, Permanent Missions of Bangladesh, Ireland and Sweden to the United Nations, UN Women, WILPF and WPS-HA Compact cordially invite you to a high-level hybrid roundtable on Innovative Solutions for Feminist Financing for Peacebuilding, to take place on 26 April 2022 at 1:15-2:45pm EDT as part of discussions surrounding the High-Level Meeting on Financing for Peacebuilding.
Please Help Provide a Critical Lifeline to Afghan Women Peacebuilders this Spring
At ICAN, we rarely ask for individual donations but, these are unprecedented times. We need your help as we continue supporting our Afghan partners and their families.
Gender and Extremisms: ICAN Delivers Training in Cameroon
ICAN facilitated a training on gender and violent extremism organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Unit, from 3-5 March in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The training served as a follow-up to the 2019 workshop delivered by ICAN. Participants traveled from all regions of Cameroon to participate in the workshop.
She Builds Peace on International Women’s Day 2022
International Women’s Day 2022 marks the two-year anniversary of the She Builds Peace campaign to stand with women peacebuilders. As locally-rooted, trusted leaders in their communities, they are often the first responders to the world’s crises. Now more than ever, in the face of war, humanitarian disaster, economic collapse, and climate change, they need our support.
Economic Security of Women Peacebuilders and the Role of the Private Sector in Supporting Them and Their Work
On January 26, 2022, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex joined ICAN and members of WASL for a discussion on the economic security of women peacebuilders and the role of the private sector in supporting their work.
The work of peacebuilding, as evidenced by the poor implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16 which emphasizes on the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, is often perceived as the purview of governments with little to no contribution from the private sector. But peace and security are essential for economic growth including infrastructure, development, and investment in human resources. The nexus of the private and peacebuilding sectors could be strengthened and benefit from a strong partnership.
The Coming of Age of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda: 21 in 2021
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.
She Builds Peace: New Campaign Tools and Materials
ICAN and the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) would like to share the She Builds Peace campaign kit, updated for 2022, which describes the background and overview of the campaign, ways that you can get involved, and links to key resources including a digital kit and the Frameworks for Action.
The updated campaign kit includes new tools and materials to help you implement the She Builds Peace campaign. The Participation, Protection and Funding Frameworks now each consist of an analytical brief, operational guidance, pledge, and action tool.