SEOUL, Republic of Korea – The International Women's Peace Group (IWPG, President Na-young Jeon) hosted the Global Women's Peace Forum online over two days beginning July 20, bringing together 1,067 women from four regions around the world. Participants from the Asia-Pacific, Africa and Europe, the Americas, and South Asia and the Middle East examined region-specific security challenges and the structural barriers limiting women's leadership, while proposing practical measures for sustainable peace.
The forum was held as a preparatory international meeting ahead of the 2026 International Women's Peace Conference, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this September. Discussions and recommendations from each region will be consolidated into the Global Women's Peace Recommendations 2026 and formally presented at the conference in September.
In her opening remarks, IWPG President Jeon Na-young said, "Women living in each community understand the challenges they face better than anyone else. The solutions we seek cannot come only from outside. They must also emerge from the voices, experiences, and wisdom of local women themselves."
"Women Hold Up the War, But Have No Seat at the Table"
Ghada Chreim Ata, former Minister of the Displaced in Lebanon, presented From the Margins to the Table: Women, War, and the Future of Peace. She said women continue to be excluded from peace negotiations despite evidence that their participation strengthens the durability of peace agreements, and called for institutional guarantees, including a minimum 30 percent quota for women. "Peace without women is not sustainable peace."
Fawzia Koofi, President of the Board of Women for Afghanistan (WFA), United Kingdom, presented More than a Seat at the Table: Inclusion, Not Tokenism. Drawing on her experience negotiating with the Taliban, she argued that women must move beyond symbolic participation and take leadership roles in shaping national security, economic policy, and peace processes.
Manal Al-Asas, Advisor to the Jordanian National Commission for Women, presented on the theme Impact on Women, examining the effects of conflict on women.
Yemen and Iraq: On the Front Lines of Reconciliation and Recovery
Lamia Al-Eryani, Head of the Yemen Peace School Organization, presented National Reconciliation and the Roles of Women in Yemen. She emphasized that reconciliation requires addressing the social, economic, and psychological roots of conflict and identified women as essential partners in national recovery.
Huda Alkhatawy, a peace and women's rights advocate from Iraq, presented Women as Partners in Building Sustainable Peace. She identified social division, unemployment, misinformation, and gender-based violence as urgent challenges while calling for stronger dialogue and women's empowerment. "Peace is everyone's responsibility."
Heba Haidar, Founder of the Global Shapers Aden Hub, presented From Resilience to Peace: Women Leading Community Transformation in Aden. She stressed that women should be recognized as leaders of community change rather than beneficiaries. "Peace is built in classrooms, neighborhoods, and local communities."
Al-Romissa Yaqoob, Director General of the Human Rights Department at Yemen's Ministry of Legal Affairs and Human Rights, presented Developing Mechanisms for Enforcing International Treaties and Agreements. She called for practical implementation mechanisms that enable women and local leaders to play meaningful roles in translating international commitments into action. "International treaties alone will never forge peace."
"Peace Is Not the Absence of Gunfire, but the Presence of Justice"
Vishakha Samir Mashankar, State Head of Bharatiya Stree Shakti Samunnata, India, presented India's Journey from Naxal Violence towards Peace and Development. She highlighted India's comprehensive approach combining security, inclusive development, and community participation to address violent extremism. "Peace is the presence of justice, opportunity, dignity and hope."
Amira Al Jamal, Founder and Chairperson of the Supreme Council of Our Step Association in Jordan, presented Empowering Women with Psychosocial Disabilities as Partners in Sustainable Peacebuilding. She called for women with psychosocial disabilities to be fully included in peacebuilding and emphasized that mental health must be recognized as part of justice.
Batool Kazmi, an education mentor from Pakistan, presented Strengthening the Role of Women for National Development. Using the Iceberg Model, she argued that gender inequality is rooted in structural barriers rather than visible symptoms and called for fundamental institutional and social change. "Women are already leading."
Maria Hajipavlou, Professor Emerita at the University of Cyprus, presented A Multilevel Intervention to Promote Social and Political Change: The Case of the Gender Advisory Team (GAT). She introduced a multilevel approach to integrating gender perspectives into peace negotiations and emphasized the importance of human security, gender-responsive media, and education. "Open dialogue is essential for sustainable and inclusive peace."
IWPG announced that it will consolidate the voices and policy recommendations gathered through this forum, together with those from the other three regional forums, into the Global Women's Peace Recommendations 2026, which will be officially presented to the international community at the 2026 International Women's Peace Conference to be held in Korea this September.
About IWPG
The International Women's Peace Group (IWPG) is an international women's NGO dedicated to promoting sustainable peace through women's leadership, peace education, advocacy, and international cooperation. Working with women leaders, governments, international organizations, and civil society worldwide, IWPG advances women's participation in peacebuilding and fosters a global culture of peace through dialogue and collaborative action.