Building Safe and Secure Societies

First of its kind to emanate from the Middle East, the  Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement (SMWIPM) was launched in response to all the voices for peace which, despite the challenges, will never be silenced. We work to eradicate violence in all its forms by activating the power of women and youth to participate as key influencers, change agents and active partners in peace processes.

By promoting dialogue, advocacy and awareness through our diverse initiatives, the Movement helps women and youth develop the skills to initiate and spread understanding, respect, and peace in their communities, their countries and  around the world.

We work with civil society, government and the private sector at the grassroots level to expand capacity through innovative programs that emphasize the strong interdependency of peace, justice and development.

To achieve our common purpose, we work internationally, regionally and locally, pooling expertise and experience to advance a culture of peace. We partner with the media to advocate for human rights, non-violence, tolerance, equity, justice and human dignity, while at the same time disseminating our unique experiences widely in all relevant fora and debates on human security.

Empowering Women

The Movement is dedicated to involving women as equal partners in the defense and maintenance of peace and justice. Towards this end, we emphasize the importance of creating opportunities for women to participate in and influence political processes and decisions affecting human security. We seek to empower women and young girls as agents of positive change within their communities, engaging them socially and politically. We recognize that to maximize the potential of women in fostering peace and security, we must address problems of poverty and marginalization as well as the specific insecurities of women in society.

Moreover, by advocating for the implementation of international instruments such as United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, we promote the effective participation of local women at all levels of peace negotiations in conflict resolution and prevention, stemming violence in all its forms, and partnering to combat the trafficking of human beings. Beyond negotiations, we participate in monitoring elections in critical situations and encourage the participation of women both as voters and candidates.

We use the media and all other effective means to bring to the world’s attention violence against women and girls including trafficking, in order to end impunity and enforce the rule of law.

Inspiring Youth

Launched as an outcome of the Movement’s first International Youth Forum, “The Power of Youth for Peace—Youth Speak, We Listen,” our International Youth Network links young people from all over the world to maximize their personal development and help them fulfill their social responsibilities. By exchanging best practices and learning across nations, our young people gain a deeper understanding of themselves and a strong incentive to establish peaceful relations within their own communities across the world.

We established a Cyber Peace Initiative (CPI) to utilize the infinite potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)  to promote intercultural understanding, empathy and human security. The initiative rests on a “culture of shared responsibility,” and is an integrated effort to rally the local, regional and international youth community to use ICT to foster a culture of peace.

Peace Studies and Research

Serving as the academic arm of the Movement, the Institute for Peace Studies is hosted at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and offers students from a variety of cultures an educational and training program in a wide range of areas including the culture of peace, human rights and international law, conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation theory and practice. The Institute partners with other peace studies institutes to develop collaborative programs and promote research on the regional and international levels.

Some Key Activities

Combating Human Trafficking:

In line with our commitment to protecting women and children from all forms of violence, the Movement launched the End Human Trafficking Now! Campaign—the first worldwide initiative that places the business community at the forefront of anti-trafficking efforts. Businesses commit to our seven Athens Ethical Principles whereby they declare zero tolerance to human trafficking and contribute to protecting victims by offering them real opportunities to escape from the cycle of poverty, abuse and exploitation that defines this despicable trade. Our campaign is working towards the establishment of a worldwide network of help lines and relevant services to support victims of trafficking.

Enabling Youth Leaders

Recognizing youth’s central role in building peaceful and just societies, the Movement offers our Youth Network members capacity building workshops, training at renowned academic institutions, fellowships and opportunities to participate in international conferences. They gain knowledge and expertise which they skillfully employ to disseminate the principles of peace and non-violence through peer-to-peer educational programs in schools, as well as community development initiatives.

Cyber Safety

We focus on highlighting the power of the internet while also alerting to its dangers. “Safety on the Internet” parent and youth focus groups regularly conduct awareness raising sessions on internet safety and security principles for their peers, educators and the general public in schools, libraries, youth centers and service clubs, as well as through Cyber Peace Mobile Units. We have also generated online content in Arabic on child safety and security on the internet.

Culture the Language of Peace

Through a multitude of cultural activities in summer youth camps, libraries and schools we promote knowledge of diverse societies. Our annual Peace Festival—“One World”—features a street carnival and parade bringing the nations of the world together to share their music, handicrafts, literature and food with the public. In addition, we organize numerous international conferences and a Peace Matters Lecture Series which hosts prominent scholars, policy leaders and practitioners to share their cutting edge work on peace and human security from a variety of perspectives.