PeaceWomen Across the Globe is an internationally active feminist peace organisation based in Bern with an office in Colombia. We support women and feminist peacebuilders in contexts affected by armed conflict in their diverse efforts to build lasting peace. To ensure their full, equal and meaningful participation in all stages of peace processes, we amplify their visions and demands, boost their efforts to shape peace processes and connect women and feminist peacebuilders within conflict-affected countries and across regions impacted by armed conflict.

Our teams in Bern (International Office) and in Bogotá (Colombia Office) support our local partners in designing peacebuilding programmes in various contexts and at different stages of peace processes, namely peacebuilding during armed conflict, peacebuilding during peace negotiations and peacebuilding after armed conflict.

The armed conflict over self-determination between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Muslim majority region of Mindanao lasted more than 50 years. Women were already driving forces in the peace process. Since the 2014 peace agreement, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao has been in the process of building political structures. This is a key moment for women to anchor their demands for a gender-equal society within the new political and social structures.

At the PeaceWomen Across the Globe-hosted webinar, “Leveraging feminist networks for advocacy”,  three inspiring and experienced activists and peacebuilders shared key insights on how and why feminist networks play a key role in advocacy. Rabab Baldo (Sudan), Uma Mishra-Newbery (Switzerland) and Karen Tañada (Philippines) collectively have decades of experience in feminist engagement shaped by diverse contexts and trajectories.

Our advocacy aims to create political impact and achieve a feminist vision of peace. The focus is on the implementation of key human rights instruments that form the basis for a peaceful and gender-just world.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the United Nations in 1979, forms the basis for the legal and actual equality of women and men. By adopting the Convention, states undertake to take measures to put an end to discrimination against women in all its forms. Together with civil society partners, we work for its implementation in Switzerland.

Together with our network partners and like-minded civil society organisations, we take a public stand on peace-related issues and on violations of women's and human rights, hold decision-makers accountable and raise our voices in solidarity with our partners when they demand compliance with international human rights standards in their countries.

We engage in alliances with like-minded organisations in referenda in Switzerland on political proposals and initiatives on issues relevant to our work.

We launch and join political campaigns, working with like-minded organisations to advance feminist peace policy.

We take a public stand on peace-related events and issues, together with like-minded organisations or in solidarity with members of our global network Feminists Connecting for Peace. We also participate in consultations. Our feminist understanding of peace and the focus on women’s and human rights are central to this political work.

Women, girls and LGBTIQ+ persons urgently need protection from violence by the Taliban regime! We call on the Swiss government to act quickly. (Joint statement with 14 civil society organizations in Switzerland, German.)

The international community has failed Afghanistan – and this is even more true for the women and girls. We call on the Swiss Federal Council and the international community to act to secure their future.

We condemn the eviction of 28 Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem by the Israeli occupation forces. We call for international support to end the forced evictions and support the sovereignty of the Palestinian people.

Das Thema «Verhüllungsverbot» und die anstehende Abstimmung dazu scheint Feminist*innen zu spalten. Wie kommt das? Was würde eine Annahme aus feministischer Sicht bedeuten? Kann eine in der Verfassung festgeschriebene Kleidervorschrift bestehende patriarchalische Strukturen anfechten? Oder ist diese Abstimmung reine Symbolpolitik? FriedensFrauen Weltweit fragt in diesem Text nach den möglichen längerfristigen Folgen einer Annahme der Initiative und den dahinterliegenden Diskursen.

Am 13. Juni 2021 entscheiden Schweizer Stimmberechtigte über das Polizeimassnahmen-Gesetz. Zusammen mit einem breiten Bündnis von NGOs sagen wir NEIN zu diesem Gesetz. Es fördert nicht Sicherheit, sondern Willkür und es gefährdet die Grundrechte.

Together with 14 other organisations, we have sent an open letter to the Swiss Federal Council criticising the FDFA's decision to suspend funding to eleven partner organisations in Israel and Palestine without any apparent basis. This decision damages the reputation of the affected NGOs. The decision also damages Switzerland's reputation as a reliable partner.

Many people are facing the pandemic and wars, armed conflicts and militarization at the same time. We appeal to all governments and political bodies to immediately end all forms of war and armed conflict.

During the Covid 19 pandemic, violence against women and girls has greatly increased. We condemn violence against women in principle and call on all people, especially decision makers, to stand together to end all forms of violence now and forever.

Women around the world save lives and keep families and communities together: Secure their livelihoods now!

With two petitions like-minded organisations are urging Switzerland's Federal Council and Parliament to continue funding for the UN relief organisation for the Palestinians UNRWA and to work towards an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

PeaceWomen Across the Globe is horrified by the unspeakable atrocities committed in this asymetrical war against Gaza. The scale of destruction and loss of human lives is beyond words.

We urge all states, military alliances and intergovernmental organizations to reduce troops and military build-up from 2022. As a feminist peace organization, we are convinced: demilitarization is a central prerequisite for real security for all.

For almost two weeks, the war in Ukraine has escalated with the invasion of and air strikes by Russian troops. As feminist peace organizations, we call for the immediate withdrawal of the Russian military and an immediate end to the violence. (Joint appeal with four civil society organizations in Switzerland, German.)

We urgently appeal to the 28th OSCE Ministerial Council on December 2-3, 2021 in Stockholm and to all OSCE participating States to end the deadly war in the Donbass by an immediate ceasefire and the launch of an effective peace process!

Political work is a core concern of our organisation and of Feminists Connecting for Peace, our global network. The network and its activities provide a space for activists and women's organisations to share ideas and practices, work together on strategies and carry out political work together. Through the network we contribute to our goal of creating political impact.