Our programmes create spaces where women can develop and advance their diverse efforts to achieve lasting peace. Our goal is the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women in all phases of peace processes. Together with them, we advocate for a feminist understanding of peace that questions power relations and strives for transformative change.

War has been raging in eastern Ukraine since 2014. In 2022, Russia expanded its war of aggression in eastern Ukraine and to other parts of the country. As early as summer 2021, we launched a pilot programme in conflict-affected communities along the then-contact line between Russia and regions in eastern Ukraine, where women for years have been affected by rampant poverty, social insecurity and gender-based violence. Our Ukraine programme gave them the space they needed to work together on strategies for safety and security in their daily lives and equal participation in peacebuilding. We continue building peace with them during the war.

Despite a growing awareness that the full, equal, safe and meaningful participation of women leads to more sustainable peace agreements, women remain largely excluded from formal peace negotiations. We strengthen women's participation in peace negotiations by finding creative ways to link formal and informal women's initiatives.

We have been working in Colombia since 2016 with our Peacebuilding After Armed Conflict programme. Since the signing of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP guerrilla group, we have been advocating for the participation of women affected by the conflict in its implementation. In our Peacebuilding During Peace Negotiations programme, launched in 2025, we are also committed to ensuring that women participate in ongoing, locally rooted peace negotiations. Women and women's organisations must be equally represented at negotiations with local armed groups. 

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.

Civil society engagement plays an important role in feminist peace work. Worldwide, civil society organisations, including numerous women's and human rights organisations, are increasingly confronted with repression. Their socio-political action is thus severely restricted. We support projects from our global network that counteract the shrinking of civil society's scope for action.

In the 20 years before the Taliban came to power in August 2021, women in Afghanistan had been able, with difficulty, to reclaim some of their rights and their place in society. Until the takeover, we supported women to increase their knowledge about their rights in relation to the peace process at the time, so that they could help shape peace and have a voice in decision-making processes. We are currently analysing how to continue our support for Afghanistan's women.

For decades, Burundi has been rocked by recurring armed conflicts. Women are particularly affected: more than half experience gender-based violence in the course of their lives. The unstable situation in the country increases the physical, social and economic vulnerability of women and girls. We support the healing, social reintegration and economic independence of these women. 

Struggles over land, resources or political power are the main reasons for the violent conflicts that regularly flare up in certain regions of Kenya. Although many women are active in peacebuilding within their families and communities, they lack recognition, specific knowledge and access to resources and larger networks. This is where our project comes in.

Political tensions and economic turmoil in Pakistan are the causes of an increase in insecurity in the country. Ethnic and religious minorities who are marginalised and persecuted and women who experience gender-based violence are particularly affected. Many sink deeper into poverty. Our project partner uses theatre performances to highlight these inequalities, promote dialogue and peace.

Our political commitment is based on four international human rights standards, which form the basis for women's and human rights, gender-just peace policies and sustainable development. We are committed to their effective implementation, internationally and in Switzerland.

The landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) was passed in 2000. In the 25 years since then, more than 110 countries have adopted a National Action Plan for the implementation of the resolution, highlighting the potential of the WPS agenda as an instrument for transformative change.

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.

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence – known as the Istanbul Convention – addresses gender-based and domestic violence in Europe and enforces the rights of victims of violence to support and protection. It defines gender-based violence as a human rights violation and a form of discrimination. The Convention entered into force in 2014; Switzerland ratified it in 2017. Civil society plays a significant role in monitoring its implementation.

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.

On the start of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023, we ask the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis in an open letter to what extent the commitments of the Women, Peace and Security agenda will be taken into account at the conference. We also express our regret that civil society, especially women's organisations, are not included in this important conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine.

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.

As a feminist peace organisation based and rooted in Switzerland, we support the feminist strike and the concerns and demands of those striking. On 14 June and beyond. We do so because gender justice and feminist visions of peace are at the core of our work, both in Switzerland and around the world.

"Truth and gender in the Colombian peace process", "La verdad y el género en el proceso de paz colombiano": Alejandra Miller Restrepo, member of our Board and member of the Colombian Truth Commission, Colombia (English, Spanish)

In this print newsletter you can read about the exchange of knowledge and experience between two representatives of the Gender Working Group of the Colombian Truth Commission and peace activists from the Philippines and learn how the exchange at the WPS Focal Points meeting in South Africa contributes to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on "Women, Peace and Security".

The Colombian Truth Commission has carried out exemplary work. Women, marginalised groups and the diaspora were actively involved in the process of truth-seeking and dealing with the history of the armed conflict. The commission’s mandate has ended, but the peace work continues.

With the adoption of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1997, Switzerland undertook to remove discrimination against women in all areas of life and to promote legal and actual gender equality. This explicitly includes the active promotion of disadvantaged groups until equality is achieved. Our demands show that there is still much need for action.