Date

2025/8/21 (Thu)15:20-16:50（JST）

Field

WPS, Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

Venue / Event Format

Exhibition Hall / Hybrid (In-person and Online)

Co-Host

UN Women, World Bank

Background

• Across Africa, the peace and security landscape has undergone profound transformation in recent years. The nature and scale of emerging threats are increasingly complex, driven by a combination of violent conflicts, political instability, terrorism and violent extremism, mass displacement, transnational and organized crime, climate change, and repeated humanitarian emergencies. These intersecting crises have reshaped the continent’s security architecture, posing unprecedented challenges to governments, communities, and individuals.
• Importantly, these threats have different and often devastating impacts on women and girls. From heightened risks of sexual and gender-based violence to the erosion of livelihoods and displacement from their communities, women and girls bear the brunt of insecurity because of their gender. These impacts not only exacerbate pre-existing vulnerabilities but also entrench structural gender inequalities, undermining women's rights, participation, and leadership in peacebuilding processes.
• In this context, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda remains more relevant than ever, calling for urgent action to protect the rights of women and girls while promoting their full and meaningful participation in peace and security decision-making. Yet, despite notable progress, systemic barriers, such as patriarchal norms, limited resources continue to hinder implementation in this space.
• Against this backdrop, the “WPS + Innovation” event seeks to explore new and dynamic
• Approaches to reshape peace and security efforts across the continent. By showcasing locally-rooted, gender-responsive solutions driven by women, this event aims to accelerate the WPS agenda and forge a new era of inclusive, resilient peace.

Key Questions

• What innovative approaches are women leaders and organizations using to promote peace and security in conflict- and disaster-affected communities? (/How do women leaders and communities define and apply innovation in their work to promote peace and security? /What does “innovation” mean in the context of women, peace, and security?)of women, peace, and security?)
• What barriers continue to prevent women and girls from meaningfully participating in peace and security efforts—and how can we overcome them?
• How can innovation help challenge existing power structures and create space for women’s leadership in peace and security efforts?

Objective

This event aims to explore the approaches and perspectives necessary to build peaceful societies where the peace and security of women and girls are fully ensured. By bringing together women leaders, entrepreneurs, civil society actors, government officials, and representatives from international organizations who are actively addressing the challenges faced by women and girls in conflict- and disaster-affected areas, the event will provide a platform for meaningful dialogue grounded in real-life experiences and practical solutions.

Through the exchange of field-based cases and practices, participants are expected to reflect on how to strengthen and accelerate efforts to realize the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The event will also emphasize the critical role of innovation in advancing the WPS agenda, not only in terms of technological advancements, but also as a means of generating new value through dynamic and cross-sectoral collaboration.

Materials

Speakers

Opening Remarks

Keynote Speech

Panelist

Moderator

Closing Remarks