The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG, President Na-yeong Jeon) announced on July 28 that it successfully concluded its official peace mission to six African countries—Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burundi, and Lesotho—from late June to mid-July.

The delegation, consisting of the IWPG Headquarters and Global Regions 2, 6, and 12, conducted more than 20 high-level meetings during the visit with African organizations, including African Union (AU)-affiliated institutions, national governments, local authorities, and civil society organizations. In addition, the delegation hosted a series of Women’s Peace Conferences in Nairobi, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Addis Ababa, and Maseru, expanding the foundation for cooperation in women’s peace education across the continent.

Relay of Women’s Peace Conferences Across Major Capitals; Official Side Event Co-hosted with Malawi Government

IWPG organized regional conferences in each host city to promote the importance of peace among women leaders, policymakers, and civil society organizations throughout Africa.

On June 30, IWPG held the Kenya Women’s Peace Conference 2026 in Nairobi, drawing participation from senior government officials as well as major Kenyan media outlets, including the national broadcaster.

On July 9, with the official support from the City of Cape Town, IWPG convened a conference titled “Voices of African Women: Weaving Peace Through Lived Experience.” During the event, IWPG launched its peace narrative archiving project- Peace as Lived And Connected Experience (PLACE) -in Africa for the first time.

In particular, on July 3, IWPG participated by invitation in the Second African Union International Conference on Girls’ and Women’s Education (AU PANCOGEd II) held in Burundi. IWPG also co-hosted an official side event with Malawi’s Ministry of Education and Plan International Malawi, highlighting the importance and potential of women’s peace education across Africa.

On July 13, IWPG held the Lesotho Women Leaders Peace Forum, attended by approximately 120 local leaders, including the Representative of the Peace Committee and the Commissioner of Police. On July 14, IWPG successfully co-hosted a Women’s Peace Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, together with the Ethiopian Women’s Federation (EWF).

Partnerships with Governments and International Organizations: Presenting Tailored Peace Education Models

Beyond exchanges, IWPG also held high-level meetings aimed at linking its initiatives with local policies.

In Kenya, IWPG consulted with the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage to introduce peace education modules for mothers and children and collaborated with the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) to explore expanding peace initiatives across all 47 counties.

IWPG also participated in the Nalafem Summit in Nairobi, networking with representatives from the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) and other international organizations to reinforce multilateral cooperation.

In Ethiopia, the delegation met with Amb. Liberata Mulamula, AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), where both sides shared the importance of expanding the WPS agenda across Africa.

In Burundi, IWPG conferred with leadership at the African Union International Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa (AU CIEFFA) regarding publicity ambassadorships and future joint projects.

Furthermore, IWPG held bilateral discussions with Ergogie Tesfaye, Ethiopia’s Minister of Women and Social Affairs; Namibia’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology; and senior  officials from South Africa and Malawi. Discussions were also held with the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), leveraging its network across 33 African nations to scale regional peace programs.

To address local cultural contexts, IWPG met with a traditional queen of Malawi to integrate indigenous community dialogue practices into peace education frameworks. In Kenya, IWPG discussed with the assistALL Foundation the production of a sign-language peace education documentary for people with hearing disabilities. In Tanzania, IWPG hosted a regional preliminary round of the International Loving-Peace Art Competition (ILPAC) and discussed future cooperation with the country’s Deputy Minister responsible for gender affairs.

Strategic MOUs and 200+ Certified Peace Instructors

IWPG also achieved tangible institutional outcomes by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with over 10 key government bodies, academic institutions, and NGOs.

In Kenya, IWPG signed an MOU with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) under the Office of the President, establishing a stronger operational foundation for nationwide peace program implementation.

In South Africa, IWPG signed an MOU with the City of Johannesburg and jointly held a graduation ceremony for its Peace Lecturer Training Education (PLTE) program at Johannesburg City Hall, certifying over 200 peace instructors from the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO), one of the country’s leading civic organizations.

IWPG also discussed policy cooperation with South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Additional MOUs were finalized with major civil society and institutional partners, including the assistALL Ishara Foundation, Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children (KAACR), Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP), and Centre for Civic Education and Participation (CCEP) in Kenya; New Generation University College (NGUC) in Ethiopia; South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) and Glenvista High School in South Africa; and Tanzania Child Welfare (TCW) and Gazeti newspaper in Tanzania.

“Peace Education Is Transforming African Women”

The initiative also received positive feedback from senior local officials and participants across the six countries.

A delegate at the Lesotho Women Leaders Peace Forum commented, “IWPG’s peace education is not merely theoretical. It is a powerful tool that can provide practical solutions to conflicts within our communities.”

A SAWID member who completed the PLTE program in South Africa said, “This training gave me confidence that women can become leaders of peace and bring positive change not only to their families but also to society as a whole.”

A participant at the Ethiopia forum added, “I was deeply impressed by IWPG’s commitment and practical efforts to build a peace network across East Africa.”

Na-yeong Jeon, President of IWPG, stated, “This mission was far more than a series of official visits to multiple countries. It was a process of building a cooperative foundation where governments, international organizations, and civil society can work together to put peace into practice.” She added, “IWPG will continue to expand tailored peace education programs that respect the culture and environment of each region while strengthening international solidarity so that women can play a leading role in building sustainable peace.”