"From Asking to Action"
We spoke to over 6,500 women in countries affected by conflict who are leading change in their communities. Now it's time to ensure their priorities are amplified and actually heard by decision-makers.
From Asking to Action
From Asking to Action
A global consultation ensuring the voices of women affected by conflict are heard
Women affected by conflict are repeatedly denied their fundamental right to meaningfully participate in decision-making, advocate for their own self-identified priorities and drive forward solutions to the challenges they face. Efforts to include them in policy-making are too often tokenistic.
The UN Summit of the Future kickstarts a series of significant global milestones throughout 2024 and 2025, including the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda.
These milestones represent a “once in a generation opportunity” to accelerate existing commitments to uphold women’s rights and achieve gender equality, justice, peace and security into tangible progress. But for that opportunity to be realised, the voices of women affected by conflict must be heard.
We need to be part of the solution. We know what we need better than anyone else.
To address this gap - and against the backdrop of growing inequality, rising insecurity and a mounting rollback on women’s rights - Women for Women International has led an inclusive and participatory consultation process, guided by the best practice principles outlined in our 'Beyond Consultations' tool.
6,500+
Number of women we reached via a combination of focus group discussions and surveys
54
Number of women's rights organisations who co-designed the consultation, led on the data collection and participated in key informant interviews
14+
Number of conflict affected contexts
My message to leaders is to increase efforts to assist women affected by wars and ensure the spread of peace throughout the entire world.
With our support, Change Agents – women survivors of war who are trained in advocacy and leadership skills – and women’s rights organisations spearheaded the design and implementation of this consultation.
Women’s rights advocates and organisations defined the scope of the consultation, including identifying relevant questions and themes; fed into the design of the research tools; piloted their use to ensure they were fit for purpose; and have verified the preliminary findings and recommendations that have emerged.
In order to better support women in reconciliation efforts, reconstruction, relief, and improving conditions, organisations and leaders can take many measures, such as providing opportunities for girls’ education, supporting women’s rights, involving women in political decision-making, etc.
In taking this consultative approach, this project – From Asking to Action – aims to ensure that the voices of women affected by conflict emerge loud and clear during this year of global milestones.
It also models women’s meaningful participation for decision-makers and leaders – demonstrating that consultation with women in conflict affected contexts can and should be done – and provides a blueprint for others to build on.
Women’s rights advocates and organisations are truly key to achieving our collective peace, development and gender equality goals. This can only happen when women have the space, support and resources to utilise their leadership, expertise and insight; and when the voices of women who are leading change in their communities are amplified and actually heard.
Explore our interactive site to:
- Learn more about the project - what we did and why now
- Read about what ‘meaningful consultation’ means to us and the process we followed
- Meet our contributors – including Change Agents in Nigeria and women’s rights organisation partners in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Palestine, South Sudan and Syria – and find out more about their involvement in the project
- Explore our global findings
- Dive into the country snapshots for all 14 countries to better understand the severe challenges faced by women survivors of war as well as their insights and proposed solutions
- Engage with the recommendations we’re making to ensure we move from asking into action.
