UN Women Ethiopia supports participation of Women Led Organizations to add their voice in Global Women’s Forum for Peace and Humanitarian Action

Date: Monday, 19 June 2023

UN Women Ethiopia supported representatives of three Women Led partner organizations namely, Mothers and Children Development Organization, Women’s Association of Tigray, and Good Samaritan Organization, to add their voice into global event and declaration by Women Peacebuilders, Humanitarian Responders and Human Rights Defenders call from around the world on the World to Invest in their Work on the Frontlines

The women leaders were part of with the drafting and adoption of the revolutionary Berlin Declaration 2023, an outcome statement reflecting a wide range of women’s civil society voices outlining local women’s organizations’ top priorities and urging the international community to act and support their transformational work in conflict and crisis settings around the world.

Participants of the Global Women’s Forum for Peace and Humanitarian Action (GWF 2023), Berlin. Photo: Courtesy of WPHF

The second Global Women’s Forum for Peace and Humanitarian Action, organized by United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in partnership with Germany’s Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), (GWF 2023) took place 23-25 May 2023 in Berlin.

The conference brought together a group of civil society activists representing women-led and women’s rights civil society organizations from 29 countries across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and the Arab States. Total of 120 women civil society leaders, representing 87 local women’s rights organizations led by women, took part in the forum.

These women leaders gathered in Berlin to exchange on their key priorities related to their critical work on Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action (PSHA) issues, exchange perspectives, challenges, and impacts, create new synergies and strengthen their networks with women champions of peacebuilding, human rights and humanitarian action across the globe.

First from the left among Group of women peacebuilders, humanitarians and human rights defenders from around the world is Ms Aregash Geleta from Ethiopia, GWF2023 Photo: Courtesy of WPHF

Regarding the participation of WLOs from Ethiopia, Aregash Geleta, Founder and Executive Director of Mothers and Children Development Organization, said “I have enjoyed participating in and meeting other like-minded organizations from around the world during the forum. The learning environment was uplifting, especially for me are my organization who work with grassroots women leaders. I have learned how women-led organizations face common challenges and opportunities where they can contribute positive change to their immediate society. For MCDO, this will help it to grow and bring more positive influence in peace building and humanitarian assistance.”