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16 December 2025
ICAN Resources

ICAN’s Mission Five Steps for Sustainable Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict ICAN Partner AWAPSA: A Catalyst for Kenya’s First SGBV Court The War Against Ourselves: Afghan Women Peacebuilders’ Response to the Mental Health Crisis in Afghanistan Protecting Women Peacebuilders: The Front Lines of Sustainable Peace

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Resource Library
12 May 2025
The Odd Couple: Women Peacebuilders and Security Actors Bridging Positions, Building Trust

The WPS agenda has proven a vital entry point for women peacebuilders to engage with the security sector and build trust within affected communities. These efforts—often invisible—are contributing to the reform of the sector, reshaping local security environments and mitigating violence.

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21 April 2025
The War Against Ourselves: Afghan Women Peacebuilders’ Response to the Mental Health Crisis in Afghanistan

This case study describes the drivers of the mental health crisis in Afghanistan, its gendered and cultural dimensions, and the strategies used by Afghan women-led peacebuilding organizations to provide solutions. The authors conducted interviews with representatives of Afghan women-led peacebuilding organizations and thematic experts, which were complemented by a desk review of project documentation and […]

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News & Media
6 October 2025
Open Statement to the United Nations Security Council on behalf of Women Peacebuilders Marking 25 Years of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda

On October 6, 2025, the U.N. Security Council holds its annual open debate on Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. Today, we are not issuing a new statement. Instead, we are honoring our community of women peacebuilders—who appeared before the Security Council throughout these 25 years, speaking for the millions they represent—by echoing their messages.

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Country - Kenya

About the Organization

Advocacy for Women in Peace and Security Africa (AWAPSA) is a women-led organization that promotes peace, security, and stability, and works to prevent violent extremism in Mombasa, Kenya. AWAPSA has worked with women and youth affected by violent extremist groups by offering support groups, assistance with education and livelihoods development, and training on the signs of radicalization.

AWAPSA has also partnered with a legal-aid nonprofit to hold women engagement forums, which teach women how to identify and report cases of gender-based violence.

ICAN’s Innovative Peace Fund has supported AWAPSA since 2017 and has provided project development and financial management training.

Core Areas of Work:

  • Peacemaking
  • PVE
  • CRSV and GBV
  • Economic empowerment and livelihood support

Stories & Features

The Odd Couple: Women Peacebuilders and Security Actors Bridging Positions, Building Trust

Trust between communities and the security sector is critical for effective governance and peace. So is a vibrant civil society. When women peacebuilders are recognized and engaged as independent, strategic partners and security actors—in their own right—the results are transformative. Twenty-five years on from the launch of the WPS agenda, women peacebuilders’ creativity and contributions to societal peace and security are not only timely, they are even more essential.

Allamin Foundation AWAPSA AWAW Better Peace Initiative CIASE CoACT GEN Myanmar Gender and Extremisms ICAN Featured ICAN Latest ICAN Updates PAIMAN PCID WASL Updates Women's Alliance for Security Leadership
May 12, 2025
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Bridging Positions, Building Trust:  Women Peacebuilders & Security Actors

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.

Allamin Foundation AWAPSA AWAW CIASE CoACT Exclude from RSS GEN Myanmar ICAN Featured ICAN Updates Mobaderoon PAIMAN PCID Policy Advocacy Women's Alliance for Security Leadership
April 9, 2024
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She Builds Peace in Kenya: AWAPSA

On March 17, 2022, AWAPSA convened 50 women including security actors, provincial administrators, religious leaders and other key stakeholders to lobby the government to establish a fund to support women peacebuilders’ work. The event marked the launch of AWAPSA’s She Builds Peace campaign in Mombasa county, Kenya.

AWAPSA Exclude from RSS She Builds Peace Countries
August 15, 2022
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Invisible Women: Gendered Dimensions of Return, Rehabilitation and Reintegration from Violent Extremism

This report contributes a gendered analysis of approaches to the disengagement, rehabilitation and reintegration of women and girls associated with violent extremism. It highlights the gaps in current policies and practice, as well as the solutions that are emerging in part from the experiences and innovations of women-led civil society initiatives. The report concludes with practical recommendations for policymakers and programming guidance for practitioners.

Allamin Foundation AWAPSA C-Save ICAN Featured ICAN Updates Neem Foundation PAIMAN PVE Thematic Reports Rescue Me
January 11, 2019
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Sureya Roble is Bringing Women to the Table to Fight Extremism in Kenya

Originally published as part of the Peace Heroes series on Ms Magazine Photos of dark skinned men, sometimes even boys, in military uniform holding big guns repeatedly emerge in the media. It is a sad fact, but communities in Kenya have been radicalized. The situation in the African country barely makes the headlines, and efforts […]

AWAPSA ICAN Latest ICAN Updates Our Stories Stories
September 26, 2017
Read Post Sureya Roble is Bringing Women to the Table to Fight Extremism in Kenya

Whatever decisions and policies are being put forth, women must be at the forefront.

– Sureya Roble Executive Director, AWAPSA, Kenya

More Countries & Partners

OUR PARTNERS MAP
Women Relief Aid (WRA) South Sudan

Women Relief Aid (WRA) is a women-led, non-governmental, nonprofit, non-political, and non-religious organization based in South Sudan.

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Madaniya Sudan

Madaniya is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that was established in 2018 by a group of women activists in Sudan.

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Kareemat Center Syria

Kareemat Center is an organization that supports conflict-affected Syrian women and children who sought refuge in Turkey.

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Mobaderoon Syria

Mobaderoon is a Syrian organization that works to promote active citizenship and build trust to support and sustain peaceful coexistence.

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