Inclusive Peace

Peace efforts in Sudan should reconnect the country to its rich, plural identity.

The future must be written by Sudanese voices from every part of society, not be dictated in foreign capitals.

How Quotas Can Help to Make Women’s Participation Meaningful | Inclusive Peace Quotas can open doors for women in peace processes. But doors alone do not guarantee a seat or a voice that carries.

Quotas open doors for women in peace processes. But doors alone don’t guarantee a seat — or a voice that carries.

What does it take to move from tokenism to true influence at the negotiating table?

Read the full blog: bit.ly/4nx6PHZ

Women, Peace, and Security in Contexts of Partial Peace and Political Transitions in the Middle East | Inclusive Peace Peace is rarely clean-cut. In Palestine, Syria & Lebanon, women are building it anyway. What does the WPS agenda mean when peace is partial & transitions are contested?

Peace is rarely clean-cut. In Palestine, Syria & Lebanon, women are building it anyway. Often with no seat at the table, no safety net & no recognition.

What does the WPS agenda mean when peace is partial & transitions are contested?

Read the full op-ed here: bit.ly/4nu2ntG

After war, rebuilding trust is harder than rebuilding walls. In Syria & beyond, reconciliation means questioning prejudices as much as reconstructing homes. Our upcoming reports will explore this. Start with this @theguardian.com long read on justice & forgiveness: bit.ly/46I1tDB

Ceasefires are just a starting point. We need to create the conditions where communities can live, rebuild, and imagine a future beyond survival.

Screenshot of a The National opinion article titled “Women in the Arab world deserve recognition for their role in advancing peace,” with a photo of a Palestinian woman in a black headscarf mourning relatives killed in Israeli strikes.

“From Yemen to Sudan and Palestine, women have been the silent architects of stability.”

As we convene for the 4th meeting of the WPS Working Group in the Arab States Region, our op-ed calls for peace solutions rooted in the region’s own realities.

Read: bit.ly/4m7Fpqs

A banner celebrating 5 years of the Timran program reads “She Leads in All that Matters! Thank you for your partnership!” with logos of UK Aid and CARE.

In just 5 years, TIMRAN (ትምራን) has become a critical engine in efforts to strengthen women’s inclusion and influence in Ethiopia’s political and peace processes, including the National Dialogue. We’re proud to keep walking alongside them.

If ceasefires are to mean anything, they must put power back in the hands of civilians.

Peace shaped by those most affected by violence is the only peace that lasts.

This spirit drives the MENA Women, Peace, and Security WPS Working Group, meeting in Abu Dhabi next week, which Inclusive Peace is proud to be a part of.

If you read one thing today, make it this 20-min summary of the 3rd meeting’s key findings: bit.ly/4lXi6Q2

“In Syria, I’ve witnessed steady progress. Women are attaining senior roles & drawing closer to decision-making. These rights weren’t handed down; they were earned.”

Houda Atassi, Founder and Regional Director of the International Humanitarian Relief.

Quote from Hanin Ahmed, External Relations Officer for Emergency Response Rooms (ERR) of Sudan, on an orange gradient background with a large faded quotation mark graphic. The quote reads: 'As we reflect on Beijing+30, we must acknowledge that Sudanese women, and women in conflict and crisis zones around the world, have long embodied its goals without protection, without funding, and often without recognition. Yet they persist. The question isn’t whether they will keep going. They will. The real question is: Does the world have the courage to fund them, protect them, and stand with them – not as victims, but as visionaries?'. On the right side of the image, Hanin Ahmed wears a rust-coloured headwrap, black blazer, earrings and a necklace, while speaking at the Beijing+30 Multi-Stakeholder Hearing.

Hanin Ahmed reminds us: women peacebuilders aren’t just victims or mere observers to be included — they are the architects of peace.

It’s time for real power & resources. Read her sharp & inspiring words on WPS-HA Compact’s blog: bit.ly/4oSjzd9

Exacerbated by conflict, #Yemen’s accountability structures have been further weakened.

Join our event to hear our Oliver Wils, Rafat Al-Akhali (DeepRoot Consulting), Nader Kabbani (Middle East Council on Global Affairs) & consultant Afrah Abdulaziz Al Zoba discuss what is needed: brnw.ch/21wVap0

When politics divide, can religions still unite us?

Azza Karam — inspiring voice in the interfaith space & the first Muslim woman to head Religions for Peace — speaks with Yehia Ghanem on Al Jazeera Arabic.

Watch Part I aja.ws/7fd0p0
Watch Part II aja.ws/5nbaap

If ceasefires are to mean anything, they must put power back in the hands of civilians. Peace shaped by local voices is the only peace that lasts.

YouTube video by Inclusive Peace Inclusion in Post-Conflict Reconstruction & Political Transition in MENA

Reconstruction is always political. In Syria, a decentralised, bottom-up approach is the only way to avoid repeating the past.

Watch ‘Civil society inclusion in post-conflict reconstruction and political transition in MENA’: youtu.be/-0i_ZepvpqE

Ceasefires are not the end of the story. They are a beginning: a chance to restore dignity, rebuild communities, and make sure the people most affected by war are leading the way forward.

Peace efforts in Sudan should reconnect the country to its rich, plural identity. The future must not be dictated in foreign capitals; it must be written by Sudanese voices from every part of society.

The starting point for peace in Sudan is clear: a process built on inclusion. People who have stood for democracy — resistance committees, community leaders, young Sudanese — must shape what comes next.

Peace in Sudan cannot be reduced to deals between armed men. Real change must put civilians at the centre: women, youth, local leaders, and the diaspora all have a stake in Sudan’s future.

A ceasefire in Sudan is opening the door to political dialogue where everyone needs to have a seat at the table: civilians, women, youth, resistance committees, the diaspora, and religious and traditional leaders.

Ceasefires are just the first step. The goal is to build a future led by the people who have survived the worst of this war in Sudan. A future that tends to the root causes of disagreement, pain and systemic problems.

Ending the violence in Sudan starts with stopping the bombs, but lasting peace depends on restoring the power of Sudanese civilians to decide their country’s direction.

Ceasefires should create space for the Sudanese people to shape their own future. That means including civilian voices from the start rather than sidelining them in backroom deals.

From peace to pauses: How ceasefires took over international diplomacy Ceasefires should be part of a longer process aimed at achieving durable peace, not the endgame.

📌 New piece from @newhumanitarian on how ceasefires are dominating diplomacy: bit.ly/4kEOSF5

📌 Our research shows that they must be the stepping stone to open up real dialogue between civil society, grassroots movements, and formal peace talks: bit.ly/3IruaLz

Ceasefires are not PR trophies or the finish line; they are political breathing spaces and starting points.

We urgently need ceasefires that lead to ongoing peace processes, and to ask, what comes next?

Black-and-white photo of Frantz Fanon writing at a table, surrounded by others, with the overlaid text: “Trajectories of Exile Movements: What 41 exile groups teach us about struggle, return, and legitimacy.”

More people are in political exile today than ever before. We mapped 41 exile groups & found:

● Exile often lasts decades, but is shortening
● Armed groups fade faster than govs-in-exile
● Exiles often shape new govs

Read all findings: bit.ly/4nj6ZCU

A group of soldiers in camouflage uniforms ride on a vehicle in a dusty, rural landscape, with text stating ‘How to spot early signs of democratic backsliding after a military coup: An overview of potential trajectories’.

After a military coup, what comes next? Authoritarian slide or a chance for democratic change?

We mapped early signs to watch and real examples from around the world.

15-min read here → bit.ly/45lplfZ
🇫🇷 version → bit.ly/43mnyVy

A quote from Sara Musa El Saeed, Sudan, about youth resilience and community support: “The stamina of this young generation has been important for the success of the revolution. They showed us their resilience, how to continue supporting your communities and how to work even in this very harsh situation.”

In wartime Sudan, generations are learning from each other: sharing stamina, wisdom, and care.

Peacebuilder Sara Musa El Saeed reflects on what it means to survive, resist and rebuild together.

Tune in: buff.ly/3PYcuYn

Host: Thania Paffenholz

Co-producer: Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

The title of the blog post is “Gabon 2025: Civilian Future or Military Rule Repackaged?”. The image shows General Oligui Nguema, the current President of Gabon, on the left shaking hands with another man in front of an official seal, dressed in a military uniform and a suit, with flags in the background.

A coup, a new constitution, and now elections. Is Gabon really transitioning to civilian rule or just rebranding military rule?

Dive into this sharp 7 min read, where we break it all down 👇🔖

www.inclusivepeace.org/gabon-electi...

What does women-led coalition building actually look like? 🌱🕊️

In Ethiopia & Sudan, it’s women setting agendas, training facilitators & presenting their priorities to shape and contribute to dialogue.

Read our new blog from #WPSinPractice series👇

www.inclusivepeace.org/building-wom...