International Women's Day and Women's History Month
This year we're celebrating women building peace in their communities. Will you join us?
International Women's Day
You can’t negotiate a lasting peace without bringing women into the effort.
15 years Research shows that peace agreements with women participants are 35% more likely to last at least 15 years compared with those without women’s participation.
Source: UN WOMEN
676 million women and girls live 50km within deadly conflict, the highest number since the 1990s.
Source: UN WOMEN
7% In 2024, available global data indicated that on average, women made up only 7% of negotiators and 14% of mediators in formal peace processes worldwide.
Source: UN WOMEN
Women as peacebuilders
Invest in Women. Invest in Peace.
Conflicts are more numerous and longer-lasting than ever before. Yet the voices most essential to peace remain excluded.
Studies consistently show that peace agreements are more durable, more likely to be implemented, and less likely to fail when women participate meaningfully in negotiation and peacebuilding processes. Twenty-five years after the UN formally recognised women’s leadership as critical to peace and security, most major conflicts are still negotiated behind closed doors, without women at the table.
Despite their exclusion from formal negotiations, women play vital roles in local peacebuilding every day.
Through our programmes, women gain the skills, confidence and collective power to:
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Mediate disputes and prevent violence from escalating
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Strengthen trust and cohesion within their communities
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Create pathways to stability and safety for their families
Peace lasts when it is embedded in every aspect of a woman’s life.
This International Women’s Day (8th March) and Women's History Month, we are calling for change. We are amplifying the voices of women living in conflict-affected regions who are already building peace every day, and celebrating the trailblazers who have paved the way for women leaders.
Stand with women building peace in their communities. Donate today.
WHAT PEACE MEANS TO WOMEN
Peace is lived, not declared
We asked women living in conflict-affected countries what peace means to them.
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Freedom from violence, danger and fear
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Access to education and employment
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Being able to collect water or firewood without the threat of sexual violence
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Freedom from restrictive laws and harmful social norms
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Safe participation in family and community life
This vision of peace comes directly from over 6,500 women around the world, women whose voices are too often excluded from formal peace processes.
We need to be part of the solution. We know what we need better than anyone else.
WHY WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP MATTERS
Peace agreements are stronger when women lead
Evidence shows that peace agreements with women signatories are implemented more effectively and last longer. Yet most peace deals continue to be negotiated behind closed doors — without women at the table.
When women are excluded, peace processes fail. Violence continues. And the everyday lives of women and girls remain unsafe.
Including women is not only a matter of justice, it is essential for lasting peace.
OUR APPROACH
From individual safety to peaceful communities
Our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme supports women to secure peace in their own lives and families, through safety, opportunity and agency.
Our Change Agents programme enables women to go further, building more peaceful communities, influencing local decision-making and shaping the future around them.
A more peaceful world starts with women.
This International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, stand with women who are building peace where it matters most, in their homes, families and communities.
get involved
Women's History Month Calendar
Actions and resources for every day of March
📅Our free Women's History Month calendar includes:
- inspiring resources
- stories of hope
- actions you can take to make the world better for women everywhere
Donate today
Support women and girls affected by conflict
Your donation can help women and girls:
- Earn and save money
- Improve their health and well-being
- Learn about their rights
- Build strong networks of support
- Access emergency support during a crisis
Donate £20 or more to receive a free sticker sheet.
Stories
Frishta
subtitle:
"When I stand in front of my female neighbours and relatives who are forced to stay home and I teach them – I feel stronger. It gives me more power and makes me feel happier. I dream of the day when the doors of universities and schools reopen for girls so they can have access to education!"
Linda
subtitle:
Despite losing her daughter and home in a violent attack, Linda found the strength to rebuild her life. Through the Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme, she is working towards a brighter future. #SheDares to hope for a better tomorrow.
Marie Jeanne
subtitle:
The involvement of women in decision-making processes is essential for a balanced and equitable society. However, men are in control of the processes in Marie Jeanne’s community. Read about how she has fought for women’s voices to be heard in community gatherings, and dared to challenge other injustices too. #SheDares to speak up on behalf of all the women in her community.
"From Asking to Action"
A global consultation ensuring the voices of women affected by conflict are heard
We spoke to over 6,500 women in countries affected by conflict who are leading change in their communities.
The consultation highlighted the importance of investing in hope. Despite the immense challenges that women affected by conflict are facing, they still have hope for the future. Across the 14 countries where we consulted women, 81% are hopeful and expectant that their circumstances will improve in the next 5 years.
Blogs
Women are deeply affected by conflict yet remain excluded from peace negotiations. This blog highlights why women’s leadership and inclusion are essential to building lasting, inclusive peace.
Origins of Women's History Month
subtitle:
Women’s History Month began as a grassroots initiative led by educators and activists who wanted to address the absence of women’s contributions in history education. What started as a local Women’s History Week in California grew into an internationally recognised month celebrating women’s achievements and their vital role in shaping history.
Learn more about it's origins and why it's still needed today.
Imagining Peace
subtitle:
We asked women living through war and conflict: “If there were peace in your country today, what’s the first thing you would do?” Their answers are simple, yet profound - rebuilding homes, sleeping without fear, growing a small business or hugging loved ones without worry. From Gaza to South Sudan, from the DRC to Ukraine, these voices remind us what true peace means: safety, dignity and the chance to rebuild life with hope.
Women Peacebuilders You Should Know
subtitle:
From leading non-violent movements and advocating for human rights to rebuilding societies in the aftermath of conflict, women peacebuilders bring unique perspectives and lasting solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges. This blog highlights the work of inspiring women who have shaped peace efforts across the globe and reminds us why women’s leadership is essential to achieving sustainable, inclusive peace.
Women's History Month Film List
subtitle:
Explore powerful films that tell vital stories of women survivors of war - narratives of survival, resistance, and the unwavering spirit of women who continue to rebuild, dream and inspire, even in the darkest of times.
This Women's History Month, explore new perspectives on feminism and womanhood by delving into these podcasts. From career advice to current affairs, each episode is sure to remind you of your inner power and the change we can make if only we dare challenge the status quo.