The Women Leaders Intercultural Forum (WLIF), a project of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative, leverages women's leadership to contribute to a more just and secure world.
WLIF brings the voices of marginalized women into the public arena by connecting Mary Robinson and other international women leaders to women at the local and national levels, generally in the context of conflict and post-conflict situations.
This strategy enables WLIF to serve as a 'community elevator' to amplify the voices and priorities of women, empowering them as agents of change in their communities and in other venues in which they are traditionally not heard or granted access. Read about WLIF's Theory of Change.
Women Leaders Intercultural Forum (WLIF) Program Areas
WLIF chaired the Agenda Committee for the International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security, which was co-convened by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and President Tarja Halonen of Finland in Monrovia, Liberia on March 7-8, 2009.
WLIF helped articulate the goals and objectives of the Colloquium, identified theme leads, coordinated the substantive input for each programmatic area, and led the drafting of the 
Monrovia Declaration. Realizing Rights also worked with partners to develop the Women's Economic Empowerment and UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 thematic work at the Colloquium.
The Angie Brooks International Center was launched on March 8, 2009 to carry forward the work of the International Colloquium and to serve as a resource for Liberian women. Read more about the International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security.
Colloquium Website: www.womenscolloquium.org
WLIF promotes the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 on women, peace and security by:
- encouraging countries to create National Action Plans (NAPs), to link the development and implementation of NAPs with other countries through 'twinning' strategies, and to use the formulation process as a peace-building strategy; and
- increasing the participation of women in efforts to achieve sustainable peace by amplifying their voices and priorities.
WLIF is working with partners in the field to implement UNSCR 1325 and to serve as a resource base and catalyst for activity worldwide by non-governmental organizations, governments and international organizations and other key advocates to secure needed changes.
WLIF facilitates diplomatic missions by Mary Robinson and other international women leaders to conflict-affected countries. The objectives of these missions are to connect women leaders at the local, national and international levels; amplify local women's voices and priorities and bring their concerns to key decision-makers; and increase the participation of women in achieving sustainable peace. WLIF has led several Women Leaders Diplomacy Missions to Africa, including missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Chad; and a mission to support the Sudanese Women's Forum on Darfur. WLIF has also led a mission to Jordan, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
WLIF responds to strategic opportunities to strengthen the women's movement on Peace and Security, primarily in Africa. In response to the 2007 violence in Kenya, WLIF mobilized 75 women leaders to support women activists on the ground. WLIF has also supported The Women's Trust of Zimbabwe, an NGO promoting women's participation in decision-making. In addition, WLIF worked with The Elders on the Every Human Has Rights campaign, which commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Special Documents
Sep. 2010
The Civil Society Advisory Group on Women, Peace, and Security (CSAG) advises the High-Level Steering Committee of the heads of UN agencies and entities on ensuring a coherent and coordinated approach to implementing UNSCR 1325 and subsequent resolutions on women, peace, and security within the UN system. CSAG's co-chairs are Mary Robinson and Bineta Diop.
September 2010
The Civil Society Advisory Group to the UN on Women, Peace and Security (CSAG) urges each member state, be it conflict-affected, a traditional donor, or other, to adopt new, time-bound, concrete actions for advancing implementation of UNSCR 1325. The following aresuggestions of the types of commitments that can be made to mark the resolution's tenth anniversary this October.
Reports
July 2010
Mary Robinson was invited by the inclusive government of Zimbabwe to lead a delegation of eminent African women leaders to participate in the 'High Level Dialogue on Promoting Women' Empowerment in the Political and Economic Arena', which took place in Zimbabwe on 26 April 2010. WLIF, the World YWCA, the United Nations, and the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe worked together to develop the solidarity mission that ensued from 26-30 April.
February 2nd 2010
Keeping Gender on the Agenda
"Keeping Gender on the Agenda: Gender: Based Violence, Poverty and Development" is an Issues Paper from the Irish Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence. Gender based violence is a phenomenon of epidemic proportions prevalent in many families, communities, societies and cultures across the globe. It needs to remain high on the political and development agenda at all times including during periods of economic hardship.
