Over the past two decades, international organizations and the U.S. government have increasingly recognized the importance of gender equality in creating enduring, peaceful societies. Women’s sustained, meaningful participation in peace processes is vital to the overall success and longevity of peace agreements. When women are included in peace processes, the resulting peace agreement is 35 percent more likely to last at least 15 years—and yet, from 1992–2019, women accounted for, on average, 6 percent of mediators and 6 percent of signatories in major peace process.

USIP has long been engaged in supporting women peacebuilders in countries affected by conflict—including civil society leaders and peace negotiators in Afghanistan, mediators in Colombia, women-led organizations preventing violent extremism in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, advocates for gender equality in Pakistan, religious leaders across the Middle East advancing the rights of women and girls, and leaders of nonviolent movements around the globe.

The Women Building Peace Award both reflects the Institute’s comprehensive commitment to gender and peacebuilding and demonstrates the important role women play in peacebuilding efforts.

The following eligibility requirements pertain to all nominees:

• The nominee must be a woman of at least 18 years of age.
• The nominee must be a non-U.S. citizen.
• The nominee must be working to build peace in a fragile or conflict-affected country or region.
• The nominee cannot be employed by USIP or have been affiliated with USIP as a contractor, grantee, fellow, or recipient of the Women Building Peace Award during the 24 months prior to the submission of this nomination application.

The annual award recipient will be chosen with the help of the Women Building Peace Council. The Council is a brain trust of distinguished experts and leaders who offer their guidance and support to USIP as we elevate the voices of women peacebuilders. Drawing upon their collective expertise in the fields of gender and peacebuilding, the Council’s core role is to help select the winner of the annual Women Building Peace Award.

Criteria for selecting the awardee:

• Commitment to Peace: A woman whose work exemplifies a commitment to peace by preventing or resolving conflict nonviolently in a fragile or conflict-affected country or region.
• Exceptional Leadership: A woman who exemplifies exceptional leadership through her vision and innovation and has earned the respect of her community in the pursuit of peace.
• Outstanding Practitioner: A woman who engages as a peacebuilding practitioner in an inclusive and participatory manner with members of local, national, or international communities.
• Substantial Impact: A woman whose peacebuilding work has led to tangible or demonstrable results.

Who can submit nominations?
While all Women Building Peace Award nominees must be women, both men and women can act as nominators. Nominators should be familiar with the nominee’s peacebuilding work and be able to speak specifically to ways in which the nominee meets the selection criteria.

Can I nominate more than one person?
Yes. Nominators can nominate multiple individual women for the award. However, nominators are required to complete a separate nomination application for each nominee.

Does the woman I am nominating need to know I have nominated her?
Yes. Nomination applications should be completed in consultation with the nominee. Nominators should be certain that their nominee is willing and able to travel to the United States and speak publicly about her work.

Can an individual be nominated posthumously?
No. The Women Building Peace Award does not accept posthumous nominations.

What is a fragile or conflict-affected country or region?
A fragile or conflict-affected country or region is a place where the social compact between people and the state is weak or absent and where violent conflict is ongoing or recently subsided.

What is peacebuilding?
Peacebuilding involves a transformation toward more manageable, peaceful relationships and governance structures. It is the long-term process of addressing root causes and effects, reconciling differences, normalizing relations, and building institutions that can manage conflict without resorting to violence.