PeaceWomen Across the Globe is a feminist peacebuilding organisation based in Bern, Switzerland with international operations. The initiative "1000 women for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize" marks the beginning of our organisation. Today, we support women in different conflict-affected contexts around the world in their diverse efforts to build lasting peace. Together we advocate for a comprehensive understanding of peace and for women’s equal and meaningful participation in all stages of peace processes. PeaceWomen Across the Globe was founded in 2006 as a non-profit association under Swiss law.
The International Board is responsible for the strategic leadership of PeaceWomen Across the Globe. It is composed of members from all over the world, as well as a Swiss committee.
Our history begins with a courageous and visionary idea: to nominate 1000 women for the Nobel Peace Prize in order to give more visibility and recognition to women's peace work worldwide. From the "1000 Women for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize" initiative emerged a global network of women peace activists - and our organisation.
15 years ago, Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold together with an international team nominated 1000 women for the Nobel Peace Prize. In an unprecedented initiative, they searched the world for women working for peace and justice. On the occasion of its anniversary we interviewed Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, initiator and co-president of PeaceWomen Across the Globe, about the decisive moments of the project.
"I had to close my heart and soul to work." Valentina Cherevatenko, Russian PeaceWoman, human rights defender and member of Women's Initiatives for Peace in Donbas(s) describes her despair after the Russian war of aggression began.
Using the transition to work for sustainable peace
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.
Feminists Connecting for Peace is our global network of women and feminist peacebuilders – from grassroots activists affected by armed conflict to women participating in formal peace negotiations. Since emerging from the initiative “1000 women for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize”, it has evolved into a worldwide community for feminist peacebuilding. Joining the network provides members visibility, safety and access to knowledge and resources.
In November 2024, SOFAD with the support of PeaceWomen Across the Globe’s Feminist Peace Initiatives carried out a Women’s Peace Table to contribute to peace in the Great Lakes sub-region. The Women’s Peace Table facilitated the collaboration between the neighbouring countries DRC, Burundi and Rwanda by facilitating dialogue between different women, including some whose husbands, children and brothers are members of armed groups.
PeaceWoman Ruth Weiss has dedicated her life to peace and tolerance: as a journalist and anti-apartheid activist in South Africa and as a speaker and author in the fight against anti-Semitism and any form of intolerance and agitation against a faith community. What lessons does she draw from her full life for peacebuilding?
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.
We are horrified by the recent escalation of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and condemn the widespread attacks on the civilian population. We call upon all decision-makers in the region and the international community to respect International Humanitarian Law and human rights and to protect the civilian populations through all available means. In the meantime, we are making all efforts to support our network member in the DRC, who faces imminent danger.
Through our publications and multimedia products you can learn more about the focal areas of our work, about our projects, programmes and political work, and about the activities of the members of our global network Feminists Connecting for Peace.
From policy briefs and reports to contributions by activists in the Feminists Connecting for Peace network to the biographies of the 1000 PeaceWomen: our publications provide an insight into our political and project work and into the activities in our global network.
In our range of multimedia products you can listen to human rights and women's rights activists talk about their lives and work. You can also learn more about our and our partners’ projects and events.
"The long road to end gender-based violence", "Le long chemin pour mettre fin à la violence sexiste": Jeanne Gacoreke, PeaceWoman and activist against sexualised violence against women, Burundi (English, French)
Compact, interesting and relevant: in our printed and electronic newsletters, you can find out about our events and projects and our political activities in Switzerland and abroad.
Our founder and president Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold talks about her life and her commitment to women's peace work in an interview with the Croatian media platform Phralipen.
Our founder and president, Ruth-Gaby Vermot, is stepping down. For decades, she has championed the visibility of the often undervalued work of women in countries affected by war and armed conflict. Her courageous vision of collectively nominating 1,000 women from around the world for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize lives on in our collaboration with women and feminist activists in our programmes and within the Feminists Connecting for Peace network. In an interview with our colleague Larissa Mina Lee, she talks about successes, setbacks and hopes.