WILPF is a membership-led organisation. Members either join one of the WILPF National Sections or National Groups, or become international members if no National Section or Group is present in their countries. The work of WILPF National Sections and Groups is based on the aims and principles of WILPF and the International Programme adopted by the International Congress.
Our highest decision-making body is the International Congress, which meets every third year to discuss the work of WILPF and set the policies and direction of WILPF. WILPF is governed by a Constitution and By-Laws, these are available in:
Between Congresses, WILPF’s International Board is responsible for the overall governance of WILPF and for WILPF achieving its aims and principles. The International Board also ensures that the decisions adopted by Congress are implemented. The International Board is composed of the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, and one Regional Representative or one alternate Regional Representative for each region (currently Africa, Asia Pacific, South Asia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and the Americas). The Secretary-General is also part of the International Board but in a non-voting advisory role.
WILPF has a number of Standing Committees (Standing Finance Committee, Standing Constitution Committee, Standing Committee on Risk Management, Standing Personnel Committee). These Committees provide guidance, propose policies in key functional areas and advise the International Board.
WILPF International Secretariat, with offices in Geneva and New York, liaises with the International Board and the National Sections and Groups for the implementation of WILPF International Programme, resolutions and policies as adopted by the International Congress. Under the direction of the Secretary-General, the Secretariat also provides support in areas of advocacy, communications, and financial operations.
The WILPF International Board is composed of 17 members: the President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, one Regional Representative and one Regional Alternative Representative from six regions, Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and South Asia, and the Secretary-General.
WILPF International Secretariat currently consists of two offices, one in Geneva (GVA), and one in New York (NY).
Want to work with us? Have a look on our career page to check WILPF opportunities to work on feminist peace.
Geneva Office
Telephone: +41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Secretary General
Madeleine Rees (GVA)
secretariat (a) wilpf.org
Office: +41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Mobile: +41 (0) 78 763 90 16
+27 73 944 40 80
Contact: secretariat (a) wilpf.org
International Office Manager
Line Favre (GVA)
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Finance Manager
Olivia Mettler (GVA),
olivia.mettler (a) wilpf.org
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
UN Office Manager, New York
Ashish Mahajan (NY)
ashish.mahajan (a) wilpf.org
Senior International Office Coordinator
Jeanine Leaflang
jeanine.leaflang (a) wilpf.org
Human Resources and Operations Associate
Maryna Hlushko
maryna.hlushko (a) wilpf.org
Finance Associate
Cynthia Muputisi (GVA)
cynthia.muputisi (a) wilpf.org
Senior Grants Coordinator
Sandra Spissinger
sandra.spissinger (a) wilpf.org
Grants Coordinator
Maya Dimitrova (GVA)
maya.dimitrova (a) wilpf.org
Contact: communications (a) wilpf.org
Head of Communications
Nina Maria Mørk Hansen (GVA)
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Digital Communications Coordinator
Adélaïde Barat-Magan (GVA)
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Contact: membership (a) wilpf.org
Membership Manager
Jenny Aulin (GVA)
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Membership Coordinator
Elena Cason (GVA)
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Programme Director
Patrizia Scannella (GVA)
patrizia.scannella (a) wilpf.org
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Programme Coordinator
Tessa Cerisier (GVA)
tessa.cerisier (a) wilpf.org
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Programme Director
Ray Acheson (NY)
ray.acheson (a) wilpf.org
(+1) 212 682 1265
Programme Manager
Allison Pytlak (NY)
allison.pytlak (a) wilpf.org
(+1) 212 682 1265
Disarmament Programme Associate (UK)
Katrin Geyer (GVA)
katrin.geyer (a) wilpf.org
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Programme Manager
Zarin Hamid (NY)
zarin.hamid (a) wilpf.org
(+1) 212 682 1265
Programme Associate
Genevieve Riccoboni (NY)
genevieve.riccoboni (a) wilpf.org
(+1) 212 682 1265
MENA Director
Laila Alodaat (UK) (on leave)
laila.alodaat (a) wilpf.org
+44 (0) 20 7250 1968
+44 (0)788 1930254
MENA Interim Director
Salma Kahale
salma.kahale (a) wilpf.org
MENA Manager
Rola Masri (UK)
rola.masri (a) wilpf.org
+1 (202) 594 48 27
Syria Associate
Leen Alabed (UK)
leen.alabed (a) wilpf.org
+44 (0) 20 7250 1968
MENA Associate
Nihad Kasmi (GVA)
nihad.kasmi (a) wilpf.org
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
MENA Associate
Sara Dominguez (GVA)
sara.dominguez (a) wilpf.org
+41 (0) 22 919 70 80
Project Coordinator
Nela Porobić Isaković (BiH)
nela.porobic (a) wilpf.org
+387 (0) 61 417 276
Project Director
Dean Peacock
dean.peacock (a) wilpf.org
New-York Office
Telephone: (+1) 212 682 1265
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.
