Invest in Trust

Why support us?

ICAN values and respects the choices that women’s organizations and individual practitioners have made to address issues of violence and extremism in their societies. We firmly believe that their work on the ground needs to be supported and deepened. Their independence and willingness to raise uncomfortable truths at the international level is critical to our collective success and security.

ICAN knows that not only should women leaders participate where global policies are being shaped, but that their experiences must be heard and their advice considered. In other words, ICAN’s challenge is to ensure that women are being listened to and recognized as equal and necessary partners.

There are many barriers to overcome, but the approach ICAN has developed is already bearing results. For example, in the early years of gender/CVE discussions internationally, the focus was primarily on victims and perpetrators. ICAN has consistently shined a light on the activists and women’s organizations that are agents of positive change. Similarly, ICAN advocates for positive framing of the goals and vision of the international community – to shift away from ‘countering and preventing’ extremism, to articulating a coherent agenda based on its values and vision for the future.