I am proud to announce that starting in 2024, Our Secure Future will be housed with our sister foundation, PAX sapiens, which is part of Marcel Arsenault and Cynda Collins Arsenault’s network of philanthropic institutions working to build a more peaceful world. Our Secure Future will remain headquartered in Washington, D.C. and our contact information remains the same.
As part of this transition, I am honored to continue to lead OSF’s work on Women, Peace and Security as Vice President of Our Secure Future. Working alongside me to advance OSF’s mission will be an expanded new team. We are thrilled to welcome back Hannah Proctor as Associate Director for Our Secure Future’s new WPS National Action Plan Academy. The National Action Plan Academy will help governments, in coordination with regional institutions and civil society, to achieve meaningful advancement on WPS. Yulia Shalomov, OSF’s new Program and Operations Lead, and Emma Boggess, OSF’s WPS Project Specialist, will continue to support our partners and fellows. Associate Director Erin Cooper will continue her secondment as Acting Director for International Humanitarian Policy and Deputy Director for Women, Peace and Security Policy at the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Ending violence, resolving conflict, and rebuilding society are processes made more effective and sustainable by women’s active participation. Our Secure Future is committed to supporting the systemic integration of women’s unique perspectives and skillsets in policy settings. With our growing team and expanding work on National Action Plans, OSF is resolved to continue its work at the forefront of strengthening the Women, Peace and Security agenda.” – Cynda Collins Arsenault, Founder of Our Secure Future
Since Our Secure Future’s founding in 2016, we have worked to integrate Women, Peace and Security into mainstream policy and governance frameworks to advance better peacebuilding, national security, and social outcomes. Increasing the participation of women in decision-making in governance structures, as well as the use of a gender perspective in international peace and security matters, is critical to achieving peace through governance. With your support, we have been able to spearhead the creation of a bipartisan Women, Peace and Security Congressional Caucus, to address the need to Mobilize Men as Partners for Women, Peace and Security, to expand our work on National Action Plans, and to continue to publish original policy research, including OSF’s updated report on the U.S. Women, Peace, and Security Act and upcoming report on the role of gender and women, peace and security advisors in the United States government and progress made in advancing the WPS agenda.
Thanks to all of you, Our Secure Future has been able to strengthen the WPS agenda, connect women peacebuilders to the larger policy and practitioner community, foster new avenues of cross-sector collaboration, and amplify women’s voices in decision-making.
We look forward to continuing to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda with you.
With every good wish,
Sahana Dharmapuri
VP, Our Secure Future: Women Make the Difference
VP, PAX sapiens Foundation