Gran Chaco Foundation in South America
– Prospects for civil society solidarity and joint action during the CSW period –
The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) Global Region 2, led by Seoyeon Lee, Director of IWPG Global Region 2, held an online meeting on January 22 with the Gran Chaco Foundation, a civil society organization based in Argentina, to discuss peacebuilding centered on women’s active participation and prospects for international cooperation.
Founded in 2003, the Gran Chaco Foundation has worked for more than two decades across the Gran Chaco region of South America, engaging over 400 women leaders and thousands of community members. The organization has implemented long-term, community-based programs deeply rooted in local contexts.
Operating across six provinces and utilizing a trinational network spanning Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia, the foundation has focused on organizing and strengthening the capacities of women and community members. Its initiatives aim to ensure women’s substantive participation in policymaking and institutional processes through on-the-ground activities. Notably, the foundation has established mechanisms that institutionalize community participation and influence, supported by dozens of local branches and partner organizations.
This approach closely aligns with IWPG’s recognition of women’s participation as a core driving force for peace and social stability. Through women’s peace education, community-linked initiatives, and advocacy campaigns, IWPG has worked to build structures in which women are positioned as active agents of peace rather than passive beneficiaries. In cooperation with governments, the United Nations, and other international organizations, IWPG continues to expand sustainable peace practices at the global level.
The meeting was held as a preparatory session ahead of participation in the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and was organized to explore potential collaboration with CSW-registered civil society organizations. As the two organizations discussed possible participation in CSW-related events, the meeting served as a platform for extensive exchanges on directions for cooperation grounded in women’s participation at the international civil society level.
Participants also explored practical ways to link local on-the-ground experiences with international networks. In particular, both sides shared the view that initiatives in the Gran Chaco region are closely connected to major global issues, including poverty reduction, climate change response, and the strengthening of governance, underscoring the relevance of local experiences to global agendas.
The Gran Chaco Foundation expressed strong interest in using its participation in CSW as an opportunity to build a cooperative global network by connecting with new partners and a wide range of civil society organizations, with the aim of generating tangible and sustainable outcomes. In this context, the foundation showed keen interest in IWPG’s mission and its accumulated experience in international cooperation, and conveyed its hope to continue developing a constructive and trust-based partnership in the future.
Both organizations shared the understanding that, in advancing international partnerships, the organization and capacity-building of local women—and their participation as active agents—are essential for ensuring that policies and institutions function effectively in practice. They also agreed to explore possibilities for joint action based on the international civil society networks formed during the CSW period.
Seoyeon Lee stated, “Women’s active participation is the starting point for building sustainable peace. Exchanges with the Gran Chaco Foundation, which is deeply rooted in local communities, align closely with the spirit of CSW and will serve as a meaningful opportunity to expand international civil society solidarity.”
Fabiana Menna, President of the Gran Chaco Foundation, remarked, “Social change occurs most sustainably when local women are organized and equipped with the necessary capacities. We hope this dialogue will lead to continued cooperation in shaping shared directions with international partners.”
Meanwhile, IWPG is a global women’s NGO registered with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC). It operates 115 branches across 122 countries and works in partnership with approximately 800 organizations in 68 countries worldwide. Guided by its vision of realizing sustainable world peace, IWPG promotes the expansion of solidarity, the spread of a culture of peace, women’s peace education, and advocacy efforts supporting the legislation and implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).
