WILPF’s Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace project works with partners in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Yemen, as well as a global network of activists, programme implementers and researchers.
Together, we draw attention to the political economy and broader structural conditions and forces that contribute to men’s violence and exacerbate patriarchal norms: colonialism, trauma, poverty and inequalities, land dispossession, climate change, food insecurity, the arms industry, corruption, militarism and the war on drugs.
Through advocacy, awareness and activism, we strive to mobilise men to join the feminist peace movement and create a more just and equitable future for everyone.
As feminist scholar Cynthia Cockburn has stated, “If gender relations are one of the root causes of war, a feminist programme of gender transformation is a necessary component of the pursuit of peace.”
Violence is gendered in complex ways. Violent masculinities shape institutions, communities and intimate lives. They reduce space for participation and foster exclusion. These norms are enabled by institutions that heroise violence and fund the war system.
To transform currently accepted gender norms and practices, we must meaningfully engage men and boys to identify, address and challenge the structural causes of gender inequality and men’s use of violence and involvement in armed conflict.
Explore some of the key projects and research emerging from our partners in our key focus countries.
Why do we need to talk about masculinities with youth? I started thinking seriously about the word ‘masculinity’ when I noticed how men around me interact, they’re always trying to […]
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The GIMAC Network, comprising over 55 national and international organisations, serves as a vital space for civil society engagement on gender equality in Africa. Since 2005, its biannual Pre-Summit Consultative […]
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In December, we launched the African Union Silencing the Guns in Africa Activism Guide with Gun Free South Africa (GFSA), the guide has been featured in two media outlets in […]
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This is the 10th episode of the Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace podcast. In this episode, we explore how the internet exacerbates societal polarisation and online violence – from the […]
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The Middle East and North Africa region is a hotspot for mercenaries. This is partly due to the many conflicts in the region which attract them, coupled with the fact […]
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On 5 June, WILPF co-hosted a roundtable on “Countering Militarised Masculinities and Mobilising Men for Peace and Gender Equality” with the Canadian Ambassador Leslie E. Norton, the Permanent Representative to […]
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Last week, we came together for an international meeting focused on understanding and developing strategies to counter practices used by militaries and the gun industry to promote militarisation, war, and […]
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On the 5th of June 2024, we launched our photography exhibition titled “Men and Love in Times of Conflict and Polarisation” at the Parc de la Perle du Lac in […]
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WILPF’s Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace (MMFP) Initiative revealed the winners of its Second International Photography Collaboration “Men and Love in Times of Conflict and Polarisation”. The collaboration and the […]
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This document pertains to the Community of Practice organised by WILPF’s Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace (MMFP) initiative and Pax for Peace. PAX and WILPF convened two online meetings in […]
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Matt Mahmoudi (he/him) is a lecturer, researcher, and organizer. He’s been leading the “Ban the Scan” campaign, Amnesty International’s research and advocacy efforts on banning facial recognition technologies and exposing their uses against racialized communities, from New York City to the occupied Palestinian territories.
More about Hanne Peterson coming soon.
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Diana María Salcedo López holds a degree in Political Science from the National University of Colombia, a Master’s degree in Women’s, Gender and Citizenship Studies from the University of Barcelona, and a Master’s degree in Human Rights, the Rule of Law and Democratisation from the University of Alcalá de Henares in Madrid. A feminist and anti-militarist, she has a solid track record spanning two decades working as a consultant for non-governmental organisations, international cooperation agencies, the United Nations and state bodies in Colombia.
Her work has focused on safeguarding women’s rights, incorporating a gender and intersectional perspective into public policy, strengthening the social fabric amongst women who are victims of the armed conflict, and consolidating local peace-building processes.
She currently serves as director of the Colombian section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (LIMPAL Colombia), where she leads initiatives on issues such as feminist approaches to the energy transition, the protection of women human rights defenders, the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and advocacy in international forums. She also represents the organisation on the Special Women’s Body for Monitoring the Peace Agreement and on the Intersectoral Commission on Security Guarantees for Women Human Rights Defenders and Women Leaders in Colombia.
Desirée Sterner currently serves as President of the Swedish Section (IKFF), a role she has held since 2023. Her engagement with WILPF began at the grassroots level through the local branch in Lund/Malmö during her university years. Desirée brings a deep substantive understanding of WILPF’s core issues, rooted in academic training in gender, peace and security (LSE), war studies (Swedish Defence University), peace and conflict studies, and human rights (Lund University), combined with several years of practical advocacy, movement-building and organisational leadership work in Swedish civil society.
Sylvie Ndongmo, is a Cameroonian peacebuilder, feminist leader, civil society actor and Women, Peace and Security expert with over 30 years of experience in peacebuilding, mediation, and gender equality advocacy. She serves as International President of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and Executive Secretary of Women Peace Initiatives. She coordinates the Women and Youth Early Warning Monitoring Room in Cameroon and was recently appointed to the African Union Advisory Panel on Democratic Elections and Governance in Africa. Her work focuses on advancing women’s leadership, conflict prevention, and sustainable peace through feminist, inclusive, and intergenerational approaches.
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.
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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.