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.
Opening the forum, IWPG Chairwoman Jeon Na-young emphasized the importance of listening to women on the ground. “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.”
“Rearmament and the Normalization of War Must Be Prevented”
The first session focused on Europe’s growing rearmament efforts and the role of women in promoting peace.
Carmen Magallón, Honorary President of the Spanish Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), presented “Women Challenging Rearmament and the Normalization of War,” warning that the accelerating global arms race risks making war appear normal and routine. “War is not a natural phenomenon; it is a human decision. We cannot ‘normalize’ it,” she said, urging women to amplify their collective voice for peace.
Sanem Arikan, Head of the Department of Administrative Services at Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, presented “Methods for Fostering a Culture of Peace Led by Women through Culture and the Arts,” highlighting culture and the arts as powerful tools for promoting dialogue, mutual understanding, and social cohesion. “Peace reaches people’s hearts most easily through the language of art,” she said.
Cameroon Highlights the Human Cost of Conflict
Presentations from Cameroon focused on the long-term impact of conflict on women and young people.
Monica Keke Wanneh, Manager of CANAAN-RUTAWA Cooperative, presented “Beyond Conflict: The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon (North West Region), 2016–2026: Gendered Impacts, Structural Barriers, and Pathways to Inclusive Peace,” examining the gendered consequences of the Anglophone Crisis and emphasizing women’s role in sustainable peacebuilding. “Women’s participation is not simply an issue of representation. It is a strategic investment in sustainable peace,” she said.
Umenjoh Vania Andoumbeni, Founder and President of the Association for the Promotion of Gender and Disability Issues (APGDI) Cameroon, presented “Beyond the Absence of War: Examining the Impact of Peace Challenges on Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Development in Cameroon.” She emphasized that peace should be understood as more than the absence of armed conflict, stressing that sustainable peace requires women to be safe, empowered, and actively involved in decision-making. “Peace is sustainable only when women are safe, empowered, and actively involved in decision-making,” she said.
Keng Juliet Chi, Project Manager of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon Peace Office, presented “Drug Abuse and Unwanted Pregnancy Among Teenagers as the Most Urgent Peace Challenges in Bamenda,” explaining that drug abuse and unintended teenage pregnancy undermine the well-being of women and delay community recovery. She called for coordinated action by governments, schools, families, healthcare providers, religious organizations, and local communities to address these challenges.
“Safety Alone Is Not Enough to Achieve Peace”
Speakers also highlighted the importance of post-conflict recovery.
Regina Mutiru Mwendwa, Peace and Gender Specialist at Kenya’s National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), presented “Why Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Must Be Central to Peacebuilding in Baringo County, Kenya,” emphasizing that restoring security alone cannot ensure recovery for women affected by conflict. “Mental health and psychosocial support must become the center of conflict response, not the margins,” she said.
Raveloson Tchiourson Rovahanitra Ida, National Chairwoman of Madagascar’s Coalition for Social Justice (CO.JUSTI.S.), presented “Her Voice, Our Peace: Women’s Leadership from Local Action to Policy Reform,” calling for stronger institutional support to ensure women’s leadership extends from grassroots initiatives to national policymaking. “Peace cannot be built while women remain outside decision-making spaces,” she said.
Education, Community and Belonging as Foundations for Peace
European participants emphasized education, community engagement and social inclusion as essential foundations for sustainable peace.
Jana Merunková, Founder and CEO of the Czech social enterprise yourchance o.p.s., presented “Integration through Education: Empowering Women and Youth in Development of Business and Entrepreneurship,” explaining that education, entrepreneurship, and financial independence can empower women and young people while strengthening social integration.
Victoria Donu, founder of Moldoveni.cz, shared how community-building initiatives among migrants foster trust and belonging. “Peace begins when people feel they belong. It begins when communities build trust. And it grows when individuals choose connection over division,” she said, emphasizing that lasting peace is built through everyday efforts within local communities.
