Solidarity for peace is not accomplished through a single meeting. It requires time to understand each other’s circumstances, identify shared goals, and turn them into practical cooperation.

This was also how the collaboration between the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children (MFFE) of Côte d’Ivoire and the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG, Chairwoman Hyun Sook Yoon) began. The starting point was the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held in New York, USA. A meeting initiated through their first joint side event in 2022 led to the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for peace cooperation the following year, which subsequently developed into a partnership focused on concrete joint projects.

Although their borders and languages differed, a shared direction—building peace through women’s participation—served as the foundation for continued collaboration between the two sides.

A First Meeting Initiated at the UN CSW

The Ministry of Women, Family, and Children of Côte d’Ivoire and IWPG first met at the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2022.

The CSW is an international conference held at the United Nations, where governments and civil society discuss key issues regarding women’s rights, gender equality, and women’s social participation. Every year, female leaders, government officials, and civil society organizations from around the world gather to discuss women’s roles and challenges facing the international community.

At the time, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children of Côte d’Ivoire and IWPG co-hosted a CSW side event, creating their first official opportunity for dialogue. Both sides shared a mutual understanding that women’s participation is essential to building peace, leading to a concrete meeting on that stage.

This first encounter did not remain a one-time event. Both sides continued to interact thereafter, exploring possibilities for cooperation regarding peace and the role of women.

From a Single Meeting to an Official Commitment

At the 67th session of the UN CSW in 2023, both sides once again co-hosted a joint side event.

The exchanges carried out over the year developed beyond simple event cooperation into discussions about a long-term partnership. As a result, both sides signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), formalizing their ongoing cooperation for peace.

The MOA served as a framework for the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children of Côte d’Ivoire and IWPG to confirm their shared goals for peace and continue their practical cooperation.

It was the moment when a meeting that began at the United Nations developed into a formal partnership.

This was also significant in that two institutions with different national and cultural backgrounds established a framework of collaboration under the unified goal of peace.

Turning Promises into Action… Concrete Directions for Cooperation

Following the signing of the MOA, collaboration between the two parties advanced to discussions on concrete projects.

During the 68th session of the UN CSW in March 2024, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children of Côte d’Ivoire and IWPG held a workshop to discuss specific directions for future joint peace initiatives.

Both sides designated women, youth, peace, and sustainable development as their main areas of cooperation and agreed to promote practical joint projects based on these priorities.

In particular, on March 18, IWPG met with working-level officials, including Lamarane Barry, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Women, Family, and Children of Côte d’Ivoire, to discuss ways to put their partnership into practice.

This meeting served as a catalyst for connecting the exchanges sustained on the UN stage with practical cooperation on the ground.

Furthermore, in August of the same year, Judith Akmel, Director of Planning and Gender at the Ministry of National Integration and Poverty Alleviation of Côte d’Ivoire, attended the ‘6th International Women Leaders’ Peace Conference’ hosted by IWPG Global Region 7. The two sides shared a common understanding of the need to establish peace through peace education and international law, further strengthening their solidarity.

A single meeting initiated in New York led to joint events, which led to an MOA, and the MOA led to concrete discussions on cooperation.

This Was Not the End.

The collaboration between both parties finally progressed beyond the UN conference halls to the implementation of concrete peace initiatives in Côte d’Ivoire. In November 2024, when the IWPG delegation visited Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, a commitment that had been built over several years entered a new chapter.

In the next article, we will examine why Côte d’Ivoire chose peace education and the significance of nurturing women as peace leaders ahead of the upcoming election.

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