About the Project
Mobilizing Men as Partners for Women, Peace and Security (MAWPS) was launched at the International Peace Institute in New York on March 20, 2019. MAWPS brought together 100 institutions and individuals committed to enhancing the role of women in international security issues and peace operations. At its launch, MAWPS adopted a charter and statement of principles that has guided our work program in three main areas including developing and implementing the U.S. government strategy as required under the WPS Act of 2017, supporting women leaders from civil society and other sectors to advance WPS in their countries and have access and full participation in peace and security processes, and enlarging the network of individuals and institutions who will use their access and agency to promote this agenda.
2022 Accomplishments:
Improve Implementation of WPS Act of 2017: Engage decision-makers to ensure continued implementation of WPS at the Departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security and USAID are executed effectively. This may include providing recommendations, talking points, and setting up advocacy meetings with women peacebuilders.
-
For example, MAWPS worked with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and MenEngage Alliance on their Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace website. The site has over two dozen research reports on causes, manifestations and alternatives to militarized masculinities, a feature length documentary film chronicling the impressive work being done to counter militarized masculinities in the project’s focus countries—Afghanistan, Cameroon, Colombia and the DRC, as well as four short country specific films, an online photography exhibition generated by WILPF’s inaugural photography competition on militarized masculinities and alternatives to it, and a set of blogs describing global, regional and country-specific activism and advocacy.
Build Grass-Roots Capacity and Access: Assist women-led local organizations in conflict-affected countries by facilitating their access to senior policymakers and strengthening their institutions.
-
Distributed 19 awards to local grassroots peacebuilders from all over the world. This year, awards have been given to the Women and Peace Studies Organization for the second time in Afghanistan, the Panzi Foundation, and the Free Yezidi Foundation. We are also in the process of awarding a Nicaraguan organization working with detained women human rights defenders. Check out our MAWPS blog for other 2022 awardees.
Participate in the Community of Practice: Expand the network of organizations and institutions committed to women’s leadership and participation in global security affairs, especially peace negotiations and operations.
-
Interviewed Gary Barker, President of Equimundo and Ambassador Donald Steinberg, OSF Fellow as part of our Male Allies for WPS Interview Series. Other featured discussions include with Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations; Mirsad Jacevic, Fellow, Our Secure Future; Dean Peacock, Director, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; and Fikiri Nzoyisenga, Founder/Executive Director of Youth Coalition Against Gender-based Violence - SEMERERA, Burundi.
