"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.

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 growing global network of peacebuilders. It grew out of the initiative “1000 Women for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize” and has developed into a global community of peace activists. It aims to provide safety and solidarity; enable local, regional and global advocacy; give visibility to peacebuilders; ensure exchange, shared learning and knowledge sharing; and facilitate access to decision-making, resources and relevant actors. Through our Feminist Peace Initiatives (FPI), we provide technical and financial support to local, innovative and feminist peacebuilding initiatives and projects of our network members.

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?