WILPF core support 2022-2025

Some high light of results from 2023 Goal 1 Transformed mindsets - We envision a future where militarized mindsets are transformed, where we have shifted dominant attitudes and beliefs that champion discriminatory and destructive forms of power. Overall: During 2023, WILPF has, along with its Sections, Groups, partners, networks and coalitions, continued to challenge harmful gender norms and militarized masculinities by promoting a human right based approach and actively engaging with men and women as allies of peace. These collective efforts strived to counter persistent militarized narratives and approaches to peace and security by emphasizing the importance of feminist, intersectional and contextual approaches and methodologies to sustainable peace. WILPF has continued to push for the recognition of arms as a human rights concern within the UN human rights system and EU legislation. By engaging with the disarmament sector and NGOs, WILPF has contributed to a stronger integration of disarmament concerns into human rights mechanisms. Together with its local groups and sections, WILPF advocacy efforts has focused on bringing attention to the gendered implications of violence, militarism and conflict. These efforts included various advocacy activities targeting national government officials, UN Human rights experts, Geneva diplomatic community and other concerned actors. In terms of holding states accountable, WILPF has focused on major arms exporters, such as Russia, and carried out advocacy highlighting human rights violations, including repression of opposition to the war in Ukraine, use of new technology, militarization of education, forced recruitment and targeting of ethnic minorities. Specific results: - As a response to the situation in Gaza, WILPF, together with ISHR, issued a call for a two-way arms embargo on Israel in November 2023. The call was endorsed by over 170 organizations and brought to the attention of UN human rights experts known as the Special Procedures. In February 2024, a large group of UN Special Procedures issued a landmark statement urging states not to be complicit in international crimes through arms transfers to Israel. - COP28 in Dubai provided an opportunity to highlight the connection between militarism, climate change and gender. By engaging in various events, actions and opportunities throughout COP28, WILPF successfully emphasized the significance of demilitarization for climate justice, participated in working groups, established new collaborations with like-minded activists worldwide and got significant media attention. These efforts resulted in that references to military emissions and military spending was included in both the Peace@COP policy recommendations and the CAN COP28 position paper. Goal 2 Violence prevented - We envision a future where violence is prevented through peaceful and gender-responsive means that address root causes of conflict. Overall: Partnering with feminist groups, WILPF developed strategies to tackle the rise in conflicts, with a particular focus on gender-based violence and peace building efforts in Ukraine and Palestine. As a response to Russias threats to employ nuclear weapons following its invasion of Ukraine, WILPF carried out advocacy work to emphasise the human rights impact of nuclear testing and production. A joint submission was made to the Universal Periodic Review regarding Russias nuclear weapon related activities and policies. In collaboration with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and the World Council of Churches, the submission expressed concerns over Russias actions. Specific results: - As part of its work to stigmatize weapons and demand accountability for states and other actors, WILPF has for several years advocated for a legally binding treaty on autonomous weapons systems to be pursued through the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Through the campaign Stop Killer Robots and other UN advocacy strategies, WILPF pushed for a resolution to be passed in order to stop the development and deployment of deadly machines. Some important results were achieved in November 2023, when the First Committee adopted the first-ever resolution on autonomous weapons, stressing the urgent need for the international community to address the challenges and concerns raised by autonomous weapons systems. Following this, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a joint call for a states to conclude on a legally binding instrument for autonomous weapons by 2026. These steps marks a positive development in terms of preventing the development and deployment of autonomous weapons and holing states and other actors accountable. - WILPF further collaborated with various actors in multilateral processes to bring attention to gender-based discrimination and violence, particularly in light of the escalating instances of gender based violence in Afghanistan and Iran. In the case of Afghanistan, for example, WILPF supported the Afghan Women Coordination Umbrellas (AFWCU) advocacy work to shed light on the systematic discrimination against women and the importance of holding the Taliban regime accountable. Part of these efforts included an urge to the Human Rights Council to renew the Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan. The mandate was renewed with the task to report on issues such as institutionalized system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity and exclusion of women and girls in Afghanistan. Furthermore, WILPF provided support to local feminist activist in Iran and Afghanistan fighting against gender-based discrimination and violence, as well as a platform to raise those issues during the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council. - By supporting its local partners and feminist activist groups in, for example, Colombia, Iraq and Syria, WILPF engaged in advocacy work to promote the inclusion of feminist perspectives in laws and policies. This included engagement with UN Security Council members in New York and the informal Expert Group on WPS. For example, WILPF supported LIMPAL Colombia in advocating for a feminist Total Peace policy and National Action Plan on WPS. Further, WILPF together with its Syrian partners have highlighted the gendered impacts of the conflict in Syria, pushing for a more gender-sensitive response to issues such as conflict related sexual violence. This advocacy work impacted the UNs policy briefs and recommendations, making them more inclusive in terms of local feminist perspectives. Goal 3 Feminist Alternatives - We envision a future where systems of oppression are replaced with feminist alternatives that champion human rights, demilitarization, accountability and restitution, and where a just, ecological transition has been achieved, led by economic policies that priorities the well-being of people and the planet Overall: In 2023, WILPF and its partners continued to promote feminist alternatives to crisis response, war, capitalism and militarism. Its integration of feminist political economy (FPE) analysis is reported to have gained recognition, leading to new advocacy opportunities. The greater integration of FPE provided WILPF with the opportunity to contribute with a feminist lens in discussion regarding conflict and post-conflict reconstruction and recovery, for example in Ukraine. WILPFs feminist analysis of the Ukrainian recovery process gained attention in Swedish media and in other spaces where WILPFs work has not been recognized previously. This could indicate a greater interest for the integration of feminist perspectives in conflict and post conflict analysis and processes, and WILPF reports it has has resulted in an increased demand for its participation in these discussions. Specific results: - Another focus was the role of disarmament in addressing the climate crisis and ensuring a feminist approach in mobilizing resources and humanitarian aid after the February earthquakes in Syria and Turkey. In line with its MENA approach of providing holistic and flexible support, WILPF completely shifted the Syria projects initial priorities, including the facilitation of partners engagements in international fora to advocate for a gender and conflict-sensitive response. As a preparation to the earthquake aid conference in March WILPF and the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation hosted a briefing with donors where four representatives from Syrian womens´ organisations shared the impacts of the earthquake and gave recommendations to international donors regarding the earthquake response. 17 partners received emergency funding. - Influencing the UN: WILPF advocacy work contained various elements. Amongst them, two papers were providing a review of the High-Level Advisory Board and the New Agenda for Peaces recommendations on disarmament and demilitarization, as well as a report/analysis of the UN General Assembly high-level debate and a database extracting disarmament references from the debate. WILPF also wrote a submission to the New Agenda for Peace process in January 2023, and reports that some appears to be reflected in the UNSGs paper. Goal 4 A powerful movement Overall: WILPF at present has 40 Sections and five Groups worldwide, with many new Sections and Groups on the African continent. It has more than 50 regular partners for joint advocacy, research, campaigning, funding and other activist work. The holistic feminist resourcing work in the MENA region spans over 30 partnerships. It is clear that the 2023 years report reflects the active implementation of WILPFs membership strategy (2022-2025) via many targeted initiatives, like vetting processes for new members, actions alerts for joint advocacy, opportunities for exchange within the movement, decolonizing the movement, accountability frame works, Code of conduct, increased communications, digital spaces for sections etc. Sida assesses this area of work more inward looking and part of the ground work which is important and vital in order to build the movement stronger and more robust and for reaching results under the other Goals. Specific high lights/results: - The formalization of the Young WILPF network is an important transformation of the movement, and can, in a way, be considered a result on its own despite not yet leading to external results och changes. - Despite not being a result in itself it is worth high lighting the new prioritization of collective care and support. Given the increased threats, stress, hate and pressure which activists within the movement work under, it is pertinent to see this area evolve and having activists well-being as part of the feminist approach to peace building.

Goal 1: Promote ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS through integrated analysis, advocacy, and outreach Objectives - Human rights: To support local women human rights defenders and peace activists, including through engagement with international human rights bodies, and advocate for an enabling environment for their work as well as for the respect and protection of human rights in order to achieve peace. - Disarmament: To stigmatise systems of war and militarisation through analysis and advocacy, and by engaging in collaborative efforts that challenge violent technologies and profiteering from weapons and war. - Feminist political economy (FPE): Use FPE analysis to expose power relations and the structural impact on gender equality, violence, and conflict. - Gender, masculinities, and Women, Peace and Security (WPS): To contribute to the holistic implementation of the WPS agenda addressing structural barriers, promoting effective participation of women, and engaging men for feminist peace. - Environmental peace and justice: To further strengthen WILPFs focus on the connection between environment, capitalist exploitation, and militarism by bringing together the specific and contextual analyses and concerns of WILPF Sections and Groups. - Decolonisation and anti-racism: To challenge racism by actively change the policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions that are deeply embedded in our culture and communities. And to acknowledge that Colonisation doesnt only impact the lands and peoples originally colonised but creates enduring inequalities and determines whose knowledge is privileged. We seek to revere and remedy that through listening, analysing and taking direct action. Goal 2: Advance FEMINIST ACTIVISM through supporting how women organise, participate, and take action Objectives - To provide feminist resourcing for women working for peace through technical and financial support to partners and Sections and Groups in order to support and enhance their feminist agendas. - To support local feminist initiatives to claim spaces in governance structures and peace processes, by demanding participation, repositioning feminist voices and narratives at the centre, addressing root causes, and holding governments and decision-makers to account. - To amplify feminist voices across WILPFs six regions, creating spaces for knowledge to be shared and developed collaboratively, and acknowledging and acting upon thematic positions, solutions, and priorities. Goal 3: Strengthen WILPF as a diverse and inclusive organisation Objectives - To adopt a comprehensive strategy framework at the 2022 International Congress, new internal processes, and a governance protocol aligned with WILPFs feminist principles. - To continue researching, identifying and remedying the root causes of lack of diversity and mainstream the action taken to oppose them across global, regional and country networks. - To strengthen operations to become a more effective, learning-focused, safe, and sustainable feminist membership organisation.