Advocacy

Ahead of the upcoming Doha III meeting, the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), along with Afghan women human rights defenders and peacebuilders, organizations, and their allies have issued a letter expressing their deep concerns and disappointment regarding the UN’s decision to move forwards with the Doha III meeting by conceding to the Taliban’s demands that Afghan women and civil society be excluded from the process and that women’s and human rights should be removed from the agenda.

ICAN, in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Norway, Sweden, and Canada, the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (UKFCDO), the Ministry of Gender, Child and Welfare of South Sudan, the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), and the National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI), convened a 1.5-day workshop to discuss how to strengthen community security as a localized, transformative approach for sustainable peace.

Members of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL)—peacebuilders, mediators, human rights activists, and community leaders living and working at the frontlines of many of today’s devastating wars—released a statement calling upon global political leaders to demand an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine. The statement outlines a comprehensive set of actions that enable a pathway to a more just and peaceful future.

On May 20, 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) signed the Short-Term Ceasefire and Humanitarian Arrangements agreement in Jeddah. Guaranteeing gender responsive humanitarian aid and protection for Sudanese women, men, girls, and boys is essential. We provide guidance on immediate actions to take.

Drawing on two decades of research and practice by women-led organizations specializing in women, peace and security issues and as first responders to sexual violence in fragile contexts, the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) presents the following practical guidance to inform governments and policymakers committed to effective prevention of sexual violence in conflict (PSVI).

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.

This background paper for the High-Level Meeting on Financing for Peacebuilding was prepared by the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), Kvinna till Kvinna, MADRE, and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). The paper focuses on six structural barriers faced by diverse women peacebuilders in accessing funds to support their work. While acknowledging that existing solutions to mitigate challenges need to be further amplified and strengthened, this paper explores innovative avenues to transform the current system of peacebuilding financing to sustainably address the challenges faced by diverse women peacebuilders in the pursuit of inclusive and lasting peace.

The Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) and Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth (WMC) authored this letter to female heads of state on behalf of Afghan colleagues and sisters. The letter requests meetings with political leaders to ensure the protection of Afghan women, specifically with regard to issuing visas for resettlement, safeguarding human rights within country, upholding measures against forced marriage, and the inclusion of Afghan women in dialogue with the Taliban and the delivery of gender-responsive humanitarian aid.

The Feminist Action for Afghanistan (FAA) in which ICAN participates is sending this letter to States, the UN agencies, and INGOs to keep the focus on the priority needs for Afghanistan and to ensure that Afghan women are absolutely present and shaping policy in these critical areas of concern.