No Women, No Peace

This briefing note summarizes the important lessons learned since 2018 by Oxfam Denmark and the wider Oxfam confederation while promoting the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda and supporting WPS programming in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine and Yemen, including under the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) strategic partnerships.

It contains practical and policy-level recommendations for international actors working on the WPS agenda in various crisis and conflict contexts globally. At the time of publishing this paper (June 2025), the future of aid and international solidarity, especially work on WPS and gender justice, is at huge risk with donors announcing an unprecedented wave of cuts.

The extent and impact of these are still unfolding. In this context it is more important than ever to build consensus on the need for strengthened accountability and accelerated action towards commitments to the WPS agenda. Oxfam strongly believes that governments have a moral duty to deliver on their promises, and to commit to a future for aid that ensures it meets its objectives of saving lives, eradicating poverty and extreme inequality, and promoting welfare and a more prosperous, peaceful world for all.

The briefing note shows that supporting and amplifying locally led feminist action by diverse women-led, women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights organizations, networks and groups is a central foundation for peace and justice.

Read more about our work with peace building and humanitarian aid