(New York) — On the sidelines of the 80th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), the United Nations Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) convened advocates, grassroots leaders, and feminist activists for the second edition of its “Peace Is All of Us” summit series, spotlighting the critical role women play in advancing peace and security worldwide.
“This campaign is about reigniting belief in the UN’s founding promise of peace through multilateral solutions and collective action,” said Tonni Ann Brodber, Head of the WPHF Secretariat. “Peace is not a relic of the past – it’s being built and sustained every day by women and their allies on the frontlines, who WPHF will continue to support.”
Organized in partnership with the Center for International Cooperation (CIC) at New York University (NYU), UN Women, the United Nations Foundation, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the Summit brought together academics, youth leaders, and feminist civil society organizations from conflict-affected countries – underscoring their leadership in driving resilience and recovery in times of crisis.
“For women in Afghanistan, women is not an abstract concept: it is survival, it is resilience, it is the ability to speak, work, and serve my country and my people without fear,” said Nargis Nehan, a WPHF local civil society partner from Afghanistan. “Women inside and outside Afghanistan are risking their lives every day to reclaim their rights, their space, and their country – but we’re not getting the support we truly deserve.”
At the heart of the conversation was a shared recognition that building sustainable peace requires the active engagement of a broad and diverse set of stakeholders across the multilateral system. From governments and UN agencies to academic institutions, think tanks, the private sector, artists, and youth networks, every actor has a role to play in advancing peace, amplifying women’s voices, and ensuring that local communities have the resources to lead on the ground.
“France is proud to stand with WPHF as a deeply committed partner at the heart of our feminist foreign policy,” said Delphine O, French Ambassador-at-large and Secretary-General for the Feminist Foreign Policy Conference. “As we mark 10 years of the Paris Agreement and approach the 25th anniversary of UNSC Resolution 1325, we must not only reflect on progress but boldly advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda – and WPHF is one of the most effective ways to do it.
This “Peace Is All of Summit” came at a critical UNGA, as the world faces rising polarization and growing attacks on women’s rights. The event also resonated with significant milestones for the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, including Beijing+30 and the 15th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, underscoring both the progress achieved and the urgent work still needed to advance women’s leadership in building peace worldwide.
“We’ve come together to celebrate the milestones and anniversaries that have shaped and strengthened feminist movements and women’s networks across the world,” said Michelle Milford Morse, Vice President for Girls and Women Strategy at the UN Foundation. “Their lessons must guide us forward as we work to build more just, resilient, and peaceful societies.”
The “Peace Is All Of Us” campaign has amplified the voices of women peacebuilders, humanitarians, and human rights defenders across the globe throughout UNGA week, building momentum ahead of the Global Citizen Festival in New York City on Saturday, where WPHF Global Advocate Kristen Bell will take the stage to spotlight the campaign and call on millions across the globe to stand with women and girls driving peace on the frontlines of the world’s toughest crises.
“UNGA is the moment for Member States to listen to women activists, secure their participation in global spaces, and place their voices at the center of peace processes, said Anne Marie Goetz, Clinical Professor at NYU. “Now more than ever, we must support institutions like WPHF, strengthen feminist networks, and advance policies that put women at the heart of peacebuilding.”
