About Us

The Women Peace and SecurityNetwork Africa (WIPSEN-Africa) was established on 8th May, 2006 under the lawsof the Republic of Ghana as a women-focused, women-led Pan-AfricanNon-Governmental Organization with the core mandate to promote women'sstrategic participation and leadership in peace and security governance inAfrica. Over the last two decades and especially since the adoption of theUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security inOctober 2000, women the world over have been engaged in activities that aim at(re)building particularly war-torn societies, restoring relationships andpromoting social cohesion.  InAfrica, the involvement of women in peacebuilding gained prominence during thetwo decades of violent conflicts/wars that saw and resulted in the mobilizationof women across all sectors to find lasting solutions and take action. Variousapproaches were used with the aim of achieving this purpose but forWIPSEN-Africa, such strategic engagement must be systematic and requiresproactivity, access to timely and accurate information, knowledge of the issuearea, and specialized skills. It demands that the erstwhile adhoc, impulsiveand reactionary nature of women's activism be structured and informed. This notonly necessitates capacity strengthening and grassroots mobilization, but alsoaction-oriented research, policy influencing, documentation, informationsharing, and strategic dialogue, networking and partnership building. This isthe raison d'être for the establishment of WIPSEN-Africa, and the organizationwas founded to professionalize and institutionalize women peace and security inAfrica. WIPSEN-Africa is a network organization and collaborates with partner,associate and affiliate organizations across the Continent and in the Diasporato implement its mandate.

Vision

A violence free,non-discriminatory continent that fosters peaceful coexistence, equality,collective ownership and the full participation of particularly women indecision making on peace and human security.

Mission

To institutionalize andmainstream women, peace and security by enhancing women's leadership capacities and promoting constructive,innovative and collaborative approaches to non-violent transformation of conflicts,peacebuilding and human security in Africa.

Goal

To enable, enhance, and sustainAfrican women's right to participation and leadership in fostering humansecurity, sustainable peace, and development.

Objectives

WIPSEN-Africa has four broadstrategic objectives that define the parameters for its operations. Namely, to:

1. Provide a platform for women across all levelsof African societies to exchange, share, and harmonize strategies for women'sleadership and build coalitions to promote peace and security in Africa.

2. Strengthen women's capacities to sustain theiractive engagement in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, peace supportoperations, and human security at policy, research, and praxis levels.

3. Promote the twin approach of mainstreaminggender in peace and security mechanisms and institutions while at the same timemainstreaming peace and security in all gender mechanisms, policies, and institutions.

4. Influence policy development and implementationon women, peace and security in Africa through rigorous research, strategicadvocacy, and documentation.