Peace building

WILPF was born internationally as a feminist movement in defense of peace and its efforts continue towards peacebuilding with and for women in more than 43 countries around the world. In Colombia, women have been building peace for over 60 years of armed conflict. WILPF Colombia bets on the negotiated solution materialized in the Final Peace Agreement and we continue our work to recognize the power of women in building peace.

Here are some of the reasons why we believe it is necessary to fight for a feminist peace:

According to the UNDP data, a society with economic inequality, marginalization, exclusion and discrimination is a society where violence and armed conflict are most likely to occur. The persistence of the patriarchal and military system, therefore, is a strong threat against the stability of peace. (World Development Report - 2011).

Recent research publications has shown that when peace processes are inclusive and have the full participation of women, they have a better chance of success and durability. (Report “Peace processes with a gender perspective. Inclusiveness and participation” - 2016).

The peace process in Colombia has been recognized internationally as an example for the incorporation of the gender perspective. This is a window of opportunity to demand the participation of women in the post-conflict process of the country.

Our work in peacebuilding occurs from advocacy and training. Through activism we monitor the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement and the effective incorporation of the gender perspective measures contained therein, mainly from the National Summit of Women and Peace (link to advocacy platforms). As for training, we carry out processes with women in the territories such as the Feminist School for Peacebuilding that seeks to strengthen theoretical and legal knowledge about feminisms and peacebuilding so that those are the same women leaders who do the local and territorial activist process.

Some of our postulates regarding peace building are:

Peace depends on the improvement of the situation and quality of life of women.

The participation of women in peace processes is a commitment to building a more inclusive, egalitarian and democratic society.

It is essential that women be heard, recognized and included in all instances of implementation of the Final Peace Agreement, as well as in the post-conflict process that Colombia is experiencing.