Empowerment, Engagement, Equality – these are the driving forces behind the YoungWILPF Network. As a global platform, WILPF unites individuals from different backgrounds under the age of 35, to create a powerful voice for peace, justice, and gender equality. In a world that yearns for transformation, the energy and perspective of young activists are indispensable. The YoungWILPF Network celebrates the vital role that youth engagement plays in advancing peace and justice. Through fresh insights and innovative approaches, young activists ignite change, dismantling barriers, and pioneering new solutions.
The WILPF Youth Network is a space for people under the age of 35 to network, organise and advance the goals of WILPF’s younger members. The WILPF Youth Network includes young people from Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas, Africa and South Asia; geographically diverse, but united by the goals of gender equality, peace and disarmament.
Since June 2023, Young WILPF is led by a Coordination Group, which seeks to strengthen the network, connect young activists from all over the world and organise meetings and conferences to bring the youth perspective into the debate.
We are always looking for young people who want to join the movement to promote and advocate for feminist peace, human rights, disarmament and the environment! If you would like to join the Young WILPF network, please fill up the form below.
Daniela Philipson García is a Ph.D. candidate in Politics and International Relations at Monash University. Her research focuses on the effects of militarization on gender-based violence in Mexico from a feminist political economy lens.
Daniela has several years of experience as a feminist mixed-methods researcher focusing on reducing gender-based violence and racial disparities in policing. A Mexico City native, Daniela has worked as a Policy Adviser in the Senate of Mexico and as a Senior Data Analyst at the Center for Policing Equity. In 2019, she was a Women, Peace and Security Fellow at the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom headquarters in New York City.
Daniela has a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University and two Bachelor’s Degrees in International Relations and Political Science from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. Daniela is also a Fulbright-Garcia Robles scholar.
Dalia Far is a women’s rights activist and lawyer-in-training. She is a member of WILPF Palestine and notably of Young WILPF Palestine where she has contributed to making WILPF’s work known among young Palestinian women.
Dalia’s activism and volunteering started early when she was selected for a youth exchange and study programme in collaboration with the American Department of State. She was later elected as the president of the student council and was in charge of organising many educational, cultural and leisure activities.
Dalia has a bachelor’s degree in Law from Birzeit University. During her studies, she was elected as the Student Representative of the Law and Public Administration faculty. She was also engaged in many activities and volunteer work.
After graduating Dalia has continued her passion and dream of defending people’s rights, and most importantly women’s rights and freedom, and she is currently pursuing law training in Palestine. Dalia is also part of a women’s football team and of a dance group called Al Istiqlal.
Lasana Diakhate is a member of Young WILPF Senegal where he is participating in the organisation of a conference on violence against women.
Lasana has a degree in economic planning and organisational management. During his studies, he was elected as president of the Amicale des Étudiants et Élèves Stagiaires de l’École Supérieure d’Économie Appliquée.
Lasana has completed several internships in rural Senegal, which have enabled him to understand the challenges and demands of rural populations.
Anuththara Kodikara is a member of WILPF Sri Lanka. She currently works as a project intern at the organisation Lawyers for Human Rights and Development.
Anuththara is also pursuing a degree in International Studies at the University of Kelaniya and a Law degree at the Open University of Sri Lanka.
Her main interests are in human rights and the upheaval of the status of human rights in Sri Lanka.
Pauline Masylgeline Mbong is a web activist, and a member of WILPF Cameroon. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Bilingual Letters from the University of Douala, as well as a certification in Administrative Management.
Her earliest interest in Youth leadership in activism, sustainability, and peace issues started as she was a representative of the African team at the Asia Pacific Youth Exchange and Global Social Innovation Idea Competition (APYE & GSIIC) Online 2020.
Passionate about communication, graphic design, and research, she aims to help demonstrate the commitment of YoungWILPF Cameroonian leaders by sharing awareness content on social media.
Concerned about Youth’s voice matters, she is dedicated to the Influencers for Peace Program, initiated by WILPF Cameroon, to advocate for responsible use of social media by young people through messages on peace and social cohesion in her country.
Marta Durin is an activist in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Sciences for Development and Cooperation at the University of Turin. And she graduated in Sciences for peace: international cooperation and conflict transformation at the University of Pisa with a thesis on the Nuclear Sharing System and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
She is a member of WILPF Italy, the Union of Scientists for Disarmament (USPID), and Future Pugwash Italy. She is also one of the Italian delegates at Youth for Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). She is an external contributor at the Institute for the Analysis of International Relations (IARI) as a geopolitical analyst.
In 2021 she opened Il Disarmante Jozef¸ a blog born from the need to talk to young people about nuclear disarmament. Her work focuses on the sharing of Hibakusha’s testimonies on social media and through a podcast.
Rania Mohammed Ahmed Bazel is a master’s student in international relations and political science at the Institute of Arab Research and Studies in Cairo. She is representing the Sheba youth foundation as coordinator of WILPF Yemen.
Over the last six years, she has been working with many organisations as a freelancer project coordinator. Her latest work is with Shaba Youth Foundation where she is involved in projects that focus on women and youth. Her work also involves advocacy campaigns on social media (e.g. against online violence, and the opening of Taiz roads in Yemen). Earlier in her career, Rania worked with the Yemeni food bank as executive secretary and manager.
Rania’s interests lie at the intersection of women and youth empowerment and peacebuilding. Her latest paper focuses on the impact of war on youth’s small and micro projects with Resonate Yemen org.
Nazia Noory is an Afghan social activist who has worked with different organisations voluntarily nationally and internationally for education, peace, human rights, gender equality and women‘s empowerment. She is an advocate for a multi-sectoral approach engaging business, technology and education to achieving peace and gender equality, Nazia is the team winner of the „Code For Peace“ Initiative by UN Women Afghanistan in 2018. In 2019, She was nominated for the UNDP’s N-Peace Award.
Nazia has an MA degree in International Relations from Kardan University, specialising in Peace and Diplomacy. She has received her bachelor’s degree in Islamic Law from Kabul University. She has obtained a Diploma in Management and Leadership from Oruj Institute of higher education and a certificate in Business Administration from the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). She had worked as an associate for GIZ Afghanistan (Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit).
Nazia has recently moved to Germany due to the current political situation in Afghanistan. She is now a member of WILPF Germany, she wants to work for afghan girls and education promotion in Afghanistan and lobby for the basic rights of her community through international community.
Join the Young WILPF Network to unlock worldwide prospects for personal and professional growth through networking, mentorship, and collaborative youth initiatives.
Gain access to tailored information, resources, and representation opportunities as a Young WILPF member, ensuring you stay informed and impactful in your activism journey.
Connect with like minded individuals globally, breaking barriers to collaborate on impactful youth driven initiatives through the Young WILPF network’s Slack channel.
Any paid member of WILPF, seeking to channel their enthusiasm into constructive change, can join the YoungWILPF Network. Not a member yet? Join us now and be part of the transformation! If your country hosts a WILPF Section or Group, you can play a pivotal role in establishing your own national YoungWILPF Network, nurturing change wherever you’re located!
Ready to make your mark? Joining the YoungWILPF Network is easy. Express your interest by filling out our online membership application form or reaching out through our contact email. Your journey towards empowerment begins here.
Interested in joining the network? Fill up the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly!
Youth Corner is the new project of the Young WILPF Network! This is your space, our space, everyone’s space! In a world where so much is happening every day in every country in the world, we decided to create this space to tell what it means to be a youth activist in today’s society! Young WILPFers from all over the world talk about what it means for them to be activists in their country, what the challenges and possibilities are. We hope that these testimonies will on the one hand give young people the opportunity to express themselves and tell their stories, and on the other hand be an inspiration to you who read them.
As part of our strategic initiatives, the Young WILPF Coordination Group actively maps Young WILPF members across the globe. We envision the Young WILPF Network as a formidable global movement, embracing diversity and inclusivity as its guiding principles. With members hailing from different continents and speaking various languages, we aim to gain deeper insights into the membership of the Network, including its size, geographical distribution, and the unique ideas, needs, and concerns of our diverse community. This mapping endeavour is designed not only to strengthen the connections among members, but also to foster the growth of our network.
To facilitate this process, we invite you to complete the following form. Your valuable input will play a crucial role in advancing our collective goals and amplifying the impact of our network.
Do you have any questions, thoughts, or simply wish to stay connected, you are welcome! You can now connect with the entire Young WILPF network coordination by emailing us at young.wilpf@wilpf.org.
The Young WILPF Network, in collaboration with the WILPF Environment Working Group, organised the Young WILPF Forum to celebrate International Youth Day 2023. The forum aimed to recognise and lift […]
Joining the YoungWILPF Network is easy. Express your interest by filling out our online membership application form or reaching out through our contact email. Your journey towards empowerment begins here. Fill up the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly!
Your donation isn’t just a financial transaction; it’s a step toward a more compassionate and equitable world. With your support, we’re poised to achieve lasting change that echoes through generations. Thank you!
Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.
Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.
Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.
In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris facilisis luctus rhoncus. Praesent eget tellus sit amet enim consectetur condimentum et vel ante. Nulla facilisi. Suspendisse et nunc sem. Vivamus ullamcorper vestibulum neque, a interdum nisl accumsan ac. Cras ut condimentum turpis. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Curabitur efficitur gravida ipsum, quis ultricies erat iaculis pellentesque. Nulla congue iaculis feugiat. Suspendisse euismod congue ultricies. Sed blandit neque in libero ultricies aliquam. Donec euismod eget diam vitae vehicula. Fusce hendrerit purus leo. Aenean malesuada, ante eu aliquet mollis, diam erat suscipit eros, in.
WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.
Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.
Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.
WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.
In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.
In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.
