The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda has long been championed as a pathway for designing and implementing polices that improve women’s inclusion in all facets of peacebuilding — from protecting women and girls amid violent conflict to securing them a seat at the negotiating table. And as this year’s co-chair of the WPS Focal Points Network, which helps coordinate WPS efforts across U.N. member states, the United States is hosting a set of capital-level meetings to strengthen crucial partnerships between governments and civil society in pursuit of the WPS agenda.

On June 6, USIP hosted international attendees of the 2023 WPS Focal Points Network for a discussion on how WPS can be applied to diverse policy initiatives and how partnership with civil society can enhance adaptability, inclusivity and effective implementation of this framework for democratic change.

Continue the conversation on Twitter using #WomenPeaceSecurityUSIP.

Speakers

Anne Witkowsky
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Conflict Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State

Jamille Bigio
Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, Office of the Administrator, USAID

Rachel Firth
Managing Director, Global Office Consulting

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
Founder and CEO, International Civil Society Action Network

Sebastian Osorio
Chilean Women, Peace and Security Focal Point

Robinah Rubimbwa
Founder and National Coordinator, Coalition for Action on 1325

Kathleen Kuehnast, moderator 
Director, Women, Peace and Security, U.S. Institute of Peace 

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