In this year’s annual report, we share the highlights of our year and the wins we have registered in seeking to ensure that peace and security centers and benefits women in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nepal, South Sudan and Uganda. You are welcome to read about these achievements in this report and can find more details on our website.
Download: 2022 Annual Report
This report looks back into the year 2021 and describes what we have accomplished with our partners in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Uganda. The Peace Centre contributed to enhancing the expertise of women leaders to participate in peace processes; Making information available for women to influence decision-making in peace processes; Claiming space and influencing peace processes at all levels and in promoting the holistic wellbeing of women.
Download : 2021 Annual Report
2020 was a pivotal year for gender equality. We marked 25 years of the ambitious Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and 20 years of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).
However, the year also brought a health crisis, COVID-19 that exacerbated the existing gender inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the implementation of project activities and as a result, the methodology of some projects changed to use alternative means to meet the same goal. We adapted to organize more online meetings, cut down on meeting size, to include protective gear such as masks and sanitiser as essential materials for all activities and our staff continued working from home and accessing the office in shifts as needed.
Throughout 2020, it was inspiring, energizing and refreshing to see, women collectively and fiercely pushing boundaries for Feminist Peace. Looking back, we share with you some of our most significant moments resulting in impact and lessons learnt in our peacebuilding work in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepal, South Sudan and Uganda.
This report looks back into the year and describes what we have accomplished with our Partners. The Peace Centre contributed to enhancing the expertise of women leaders to participate in peace processes in Burundi, DRC, Nepal, South Sudan and Uganda through the Feminist Leadership Institute on Peace and Security, learning exchanges and mentorship support. Making information available for women to influence decision-making in peace processes in Uganda and South Sudan. Claiming space and influencing Peace Processes at all levels and in promoting the holistic wellbeing of women, we continue working with support groups of women living with HIV and AIDS in post-conflict North-eastern Uganda to support their access to sustainable livelihood
opportunities.
This report looks back into the year and describes what we have accomplished with our Partners. We enhanced women’s expertise to influence and transform peace processes, made deliberate attempts to claim spaces to ensure women influence and participate in peace processes at all levels, made information available for women to influence decision-making in peace processes and continued to strengthen the holistic wellbeing of women in post-conflict settings.
At the beginning of the year, we set out to strengthen our existing partnerships and make new connections to ensure women live in peace and recreate peace across Africa and in Asia. We affirmed our desire to make meaningful progress on behalf of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the sustainable development agenda and African Union’s agenda 2063. This year’s annual report offers an the opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months including the strides made, challenges faced and our collective impact on women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings.
This was a remarkable year, Isis-WICCE adapted to a changing landscape, including new trends in conflict, militarism and fundamentalism that call for a new type of leadership by women. The organisation has faced new challenges and worked to overcome them, closing the year stronger and better prepared for the future. In 2016 we continued to strengthen existing partnerships and make new connections to ensure women live in peace and recreate peace across Africa and in Asia.
2015 was a significant year as the world adopted the 2015 development agenda and reviewed 15 years of implementing UNSCR 1325. Isis-WICCE played a significant role in the review process as our Executive Director was appointed to the 17-member advisory group on the global study on UNSCR1325. 2015 was also a year of internal transition as Isis-WICCE’s Executive Director of 20 years made the decision to move on. This was very significant as it preceded Isis-WICCE’s celebration of 20 years in Africa.
Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng’s leadership was celebrated not only by Isis-WICCE but also with the Ford Foundation honouring her work and contribution to the global women’s peace movement. After 20 years and in preparation for new leadership it was instructive to review Isis-WICCE’s systems and structures to ensure that the organization adapts easily to changes in leadership. 2015 saw shifts in responsibilities within the organization and the rethinking of Isis-WICCE’s direction. The strategic plan was reviewed considering the changing world order and new global trends in conflict and militarization.
The year 2014 marked 20 years of Isis-WICCE move from Geneva to Uganda and 40 years globally. We are very proud of our achievements over the years and we have geared up for the emerging challenges and realities in the world today.
Over the past twenty years, Isis-WICCE has emerged as a leader in the feminist discourse on peace and security. We have a wealth of data and knowledge collected over the long years of research and advocacy in Africa and Asia. We have managed to influence the mainstream discussion and understanding of conflict by ensuring that States and other stakeholders in peace and security understand human security beyond geographical dimensions of territorial integrity but rather the personal balance of body, mind and spirit, a perspective that has been ignored by mainstream actors. Since its birth, Isis-WICCE has grown rapidly and innovatively but for this growth to be maintained, and for us to optimize on the current opportunities and build on our achievements, there is need for more focus, optimization and scaling up our approaches to work. In order to maintain our feminist competitive edge and to keep striving for excellence, we need to continue renewing ourselves by stopping, reflecting and planning.
The year 2013 meant a new journey for Isis-WICCE. We began implementing our new strategic plan after series of sessions involving reflections, critiques and strategizing for the future.
We developed our new strategic plan after series of sessions involving reflections, critiques and strategizing for the future. In line with the goals and objectives of the strategic plan, we have amplified voices, we ignited women’s agency to re(create) peace as defined by women. Oftentimes development approaches involve planning on behalf of communities. The implementation of those plans tends to perpetuate inequalities and disenfranchise women.
Our approach to work recognizes and respects the voices of women, girls, men, and boys in armed and post conflict countries. We challenged governments to deliver on policy promises and commitments made at national, regional and international levels through our documentations that reveal gaps in policy implementation particularly for countries where we worked. We provided healing to women; we believe that peace building cannot be sustained without healing the body, mind and spirit of women survivors. Over time, we observed that quantifying this type of work is very difficult, however we have used women’s stories to capture the changes in their lives, we have developed a monitoring framework to help us track the work we do and the difficulties that arise from the nature of our work. We are consoled that when we heal one woman, when we shift one woman’s life, it will impact on her wellbeing and also impact on the socio economic status of her family and the community at large.