Women of Courage - Women Peace and Security

This project aims to empower women human rights defenders and organizations to effectively participate in peacebuilding reconciliation and human rights processes in Colombia the Democratic Republic of Congo South Sudan and the West Bank. The project seeks to strengthen beneficiaries’ ability to use national laws and international human rights frameworks to defend and protect women’s rights in conflict settings. Project activities include: (1) providing psychosocial and legal support to help women survivors recover from and seek justice for the physical and psychological violence they have experienced; (2) training women human rights defenders and organizations and other key stakeholders on national and international human rights frameworks gender-based analysis and organizational strengthening; (3) developing or improving National Action Plans and implementing the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) on women peace and security; and (4) establishing South-South exchanges to facilitate networking mutual learning and skills building. This project expects to reach about 35 000 beneficiaries (78% women and 22% men) directly in the five countries or territories including approximately 9 500 women survivors of gender-based violence. It also expects to indirectly reach 200 000 (150 000 women and 50 000 men) beneficiaries nationally including extended families community members networks government employees other stakeholders and another two million indirect beneficiaries internationally through networks coalitions and social media.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased participation of women victims and survivors in peace processes and decision-making related to the defense of human rights and post-conflict development processes; (2) more effective use by civil society organizations women human rights defenders government officials and other stakeholders of national laws and international human rights frameworks such as United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and related resolutions to advocate for women’s rights in contexts of conflict; and (3) strengthened capacity and skills of women’s rights organizations and defenders.