The project “Femininfluensers” focused on using media as a platform to change and promote women’s rights, freedom of expression, freedom of movement and gender equality. The aim was to increase young women’s knowledge of UNSC Resolution 1325, as well as their political influence through media training. The project also aimed to empower and inspire young women activists to use social media as part of their advocacy work.   

Project: FemininInfluencers  

Country: Palestine  

Partner organisation: Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD)  

Donor: Swedish Institute  

Project period: July 2021 – June 2023  

Purpose: Empower young women to advocate for women’s rights, and strengthen their political influence through media training.  

Target group: 20 young women 

How: Participants attended several training sessions that included practical and theoretical training on UNSC Resolution 1325, the UN Women Convention, gender equality and power relations. Participants also received media training and discussed the role of media in portraying women’s rights. Together, they created TV episodes, film clips, radio programmes and blog posts to share their knowledge with the public. The film clips with a feminist message were shown and discussed with members of women’s civil society organisations in the Palestinian countryside. Participants also held dialogue meetings with 60 local women decision-makers in the West Bank and discussed issues related to women’s rights and the importance of women’s voices being heard.   

Results: The project increased young women’s knowledge of UNSC Resolution 1325, women’s rights and opportunities. It has also increased their political space by providing them with new tools for political advocacy.Several of the participants became politically engaged and ran for local elections as a result of the project. Participants gained skills in producing media materials and disseminating ideas and information through media to reach a wider audience, which in the longer term can have a major impact on the dissemination of information in society.  

• Over 12,000 people reached through social media campaigns and blogs.   
• Over 800,000 people reached through 20 TV episodes and four radio programmes   
• 60 West Bank decision-makers reached through dialogue meetings.   
• The film clips were shown to more than 400 women at local civil society organisations who also discussed the message. 

Here you can hear more about the project directly from Palestine. 

Se some of the TV episodes:

Economic violence against women

Palestinian women in local governments

International legal protection for women in areas of conflict and war

The project promoted the participation of women living in marginalised and isolated regions of the West Bank in decision-making and peace-building processes. The project involved the participants in capacity-building activities that qualified them to lead dialogues with female political and community leaders to discuss and advocate for womens inclusion in negotiations, national dialogues and international mediation.  

Project: The Advancement of Women’s Right on Issues of Security and Peace  

Country: Palestine  

Partner organisation: Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD)  

Donor: ForumCiv  

Project period: January 2022 – December 2022  

Purpose: To strengthen the participation of young Palestinian women in decision-making processes and peacebuilding efforts at all levels   

Target group: 23 young women from different parts of the West Bank, Palestine. 

How: Participants received capacity building on gender equality, women’s rights and leadership. Participants also had the opportunity to participate in 15 dialogue sessions with women community leaders who provided important advice and inspiration. Participants organised 15 workshops of their own to share their knowledge and experiences, an activity that reached over 220 participants. An advocacy campaign was created and disseminated on YouTube and other social media. Participants also carried out a survey to map the participation of Palestinian women in peace processes through questionnaires sent out. The approximately 470 responses formed the basis of a research report. The project also produced a policy paper highlighting issues such as women’s marginalisation in society and their knowledge of UNSC Resolution 1325, which was distributed to young female decision-makers in the West Bank.   

Results: The project’s impact on the participants was significant as it gave them a better understanding of their rights, gender equality and promoted a sense of self-worth and self-confidence. Participants report that after the project they feel more confident and comfortable approaching decision-makers. Through the participants’ own workshops, as well as the distribution of the research and policy documents, the participants’ knowledge was also disseminated to a wider audience, helping to empower more women’s leadership. 

• Publication of a policy paper and a research report “Palestinian Women in Political Participation.”  
• 870 participation in the project campaign.  
• 4,500 reached through media campaign.   
• Almost 12,000 total number of people reached.   

Röster från deltagare: “Before I joined PCPD’s session I was really unaware of women’s rights 一 I really and I mean quite literally didn’t know anything about it. The most important things I’ve come to learn through the session are the types of violence against women and how they could be more than physical such as they can be emotional, social, and verbal. I’ve also come to learn about equality. There’s a big difference between the person I was when I first entered the PCPD and who I am now.”  – Narmeen 

Azhar had never heard of UN Resolution 1325 before joining PCPD’s training sessions, she states  

“I had never heard of it nor did I realize the importance of it until we started learning about it in training sessions. Afterward, I understood the concept of the 1325 and its importance.  It made me have the desire to spread this knowledge to other people and I would even be prepared to give my own session with the information I have obtained.” – Azhar. 

The project aimed to reduce the all too common occurrence of domestic violence in Palestine. By educating both men and women about women’s rights, the aim was to reduce men’s violence against women. The project also aimed to raise awareness of the physical and psychological needs of vulnerable women, with the aim of providing them with better support and assistance. The project led to increased understanding and reduced prejudices about domestic violence and women’s rights among women and girls as well as men, community actors and social workers.   

Project: Women Security   

Country: Palestine  

Partner organisation: Wi’am

Donor organisation: ForumCiv  

Project period: February 2020 – June 2021  

Purpose: Tackling domestic violence by empowering men and women with knowledge about equality and women’s rights.   

Target group: Palestinian women victims of domestic violence, families where domestic violence occurs, ten social workers.    

How: The project was implemented in four parts:   

In the first part, 25 survivors of domestic violence were provided with psychological counselling, strategies and advice on how to deal with their life situation and both report domestic violence and set boundaries in future relationships. To complement the psychological counselling, mediation meetings were held where couples and families could receive support, advice and help on their domestic situation, leading to a change in the dynamics of the family relationship.   

Ten social workers were trained on issues related to domestic violence and how to manage and respond to it. This is because pre-studies show that many social workers knew little or nothing about gender-based violence, and did not see it as something they should address or as anything more than a private family matter. The social workers themselves initiated a campaign to provide counselling to families affected by domestic violence. They also participated in two advocacy campaigns organised by Wi’am on domestic violence.   

In the first phase of the project, a group of 40 women and girls were also trained on UNSC Resolution 1325, women’s rights, domestic violence and conflict management. Several of these women chose to continue their involvement in domestic violence at Wi’am.  

In the second part of the project, discussion sessions were held with various community actors such as lawyers, mediators, priests and sheikhs and women victims of violence. The aim was to give women an opportunity to be heard and understood, and to increase men’s understanding of domestic violence and women’s rights. Discussion sessions were also held with women only, girls and their families to empower them to deal with and understand domestic violence.  The second part of the project also included an advocacy campaign to raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence and to strengthen women’s voices in this context.

Results: The project has contributed to increased knowledge and reduced prejudices about domestic violence. Women exposed to violence were given both psychological support and concrete help and support in how to change their situation. The project provided important knowledge in the field to the female and male participants, as well as to the ten social workers who will contribute to increased help for vulnerable women in the future. Many of the participants testify that they gained a better understanding of domestic violence, women’s rights and that they now see violence against women as a larger societal problem and not a private problem to be solved individually in the home. Several of the participants chose to continue their engagement against domestic violence and participated in Wi’am’s advocacy campaigns on this topic even after the project.   

• Psychological counselling for 25 women.   
• Ten social workers were trained on gender-based violence.  
• Discussions with male community actors to raise awareness on gender-based violence.  
• Several hundred people continued to be involved in the work against domestic violence, as it was no longer seen as a private matter but a social problem.   
• Over 600 reached indirectly by the project.  
• A conference on UNSC Resolution 1325 was held.  
• A document with recommendations for Palestine’s continued work on women’s rights was released.   

Röster från deltagare: “Through the workshop I have learned how to deliver messages on gender-based violence and health to communities, how to apply our knowledge and skills to assist GBV (Gender Base Violence) survivors, referring them to appropriate services, and how to elaborate on sensitive topics in a way that is understood, acceptable and useful. I have also learned how to make sustainable plans to reach as much people as possible” said one of the participants.” 

“The project provided me with an opportunity to obtain a common understanding of issues related to gender, such as discussing gender relations within my family and in the community.” 

After I attended the individual and group counselling sessions, I feel much better. I can express my opinion much better. I gained self-confidence. In the past I was really afraid that if I talk, I will be shunned down.” 

A quote of one key male actor in the meetings: “When women experience violence that keeps them from contributing to her family or community, we all suffer that loss. It is therefore neither fruitful nor correct to view this as a “women’s issue,” he argued, adding that men must act to support women, family members, friends and leaders in the struggle against VAW 

The project worked to strengthen young women’s knowledge of peace processes and their ability to participate in decision-making. Ultimately, the project aimed to increase the number of young women in leadership positions or policy-making roles. As a result of the project, several young women report that they have increased confidence in their capacity to influence.   

Project: Women’s mediation school 

Country: Palestine  

Partner organisation: Palestinian Center for Pace and Democracy

Donor: ForumCiv  

Project period: March 2019 – March 2020  

Purpose: Empower young women and give them tools to increase their leadership in civil society, in politics and in peace and conflict processes.   

Target group: 20 young women in Palestine  

How: The first part of the project included capacity building for participants in leadership, decision-making, negotiation and peace processes with the aim of strengthening the role of young women in society. Participants were also assigned politically active women as mentors. The mentors guided and showed the participants what political life can look like, and also gave them inspiration for the future. During the final part of the project, participants worked together to create a handbook on women’s mediation. The handbook was published in both English and Arabic.  The project also included a social media campaign that resulted in, among other things, a number of Youtube videos informing about UNSC Resolution 1325.   

Results: The project has empowered and given young women the confidence to lead and influence in society. Participants report that they have increased their leadership and advocacy skills. Thanks to mentors, they have become inspired, motivated and more self-confident. Through the handbook, social media campaign, etc. the project has reached a wider audienceOver  

• 200,000 reached through the project’s YouTube videos.  
• Young Women Mediators Hnadbook created and published in English and Arabic.   

Publications: 

Young Women Mediators Hanbook

Womens mediators Handbook Arabic

The project worked to increase the knowledge of young Swedish girls from vulnerable areas about the agenda for youth, peace and security (UNSC Resolution 2250). By participating in a study trip to Palestine, they had the opportunity to make contacts and exchange experiences with others.   

Project: Tjejer, Fred och Säkerhet

Country: Sweden and Palestine  

Partner organisation: Preparations in cooperation with KFUK/KFUM  

Donor: Folke Bernadotte Academy   

Project period: 2018  

Purpose: To increase the knowledge of the youth, peace and security agenda among a number of young Swedes in order to increase their engagement in international peace and security issues.   

Target group: Four young Swedes (two girls & two boys) from socio-economically vulnerable areas with a multicultural background. 

How: Participants, together with a facilitator, attended a YMCA conference on youth, peace and security in Palestine. At the conference, participants were trained on the topic and had the chance to network and exchange experiences with other young people. Participants reported on the conference on social media and also created a film that included interviews with other young people that they had conducted during the conference. After the conference, the participants wrote a report on their lessons learnt and experiences from the trip. The report formed the basis for a policy report with recommendations for Sweden’s work on UNSC Resolution 2250, which was submitted to Swedish MPs, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Folke Bernadotte Academy. As part of the project, Operation 1325 also organised a number of seminars and workshops on UNSC Resolution 2250 in schools in more socio-economically vulnerable areas of Stockholm   

Results: Four young people gained increased knowledge about youth, peace and security, as well as the opportunity to see and understand the daily lives of young Palestinians. The project has strengthened the participants’ commitment to peace and youth rights issues, as well as their confidence in their own ability to make a difference. Through social media reporting, participants reached a wider audience with their lessons learnt. The policy report provided to decision-makers also enabled the project’s impact at a higher level. Through engagement with schools in vulnerable neighbourhoods, the project has helped more young people understand their rights and their ability to make a difference.   

81 posts published on social media reaching over 23,000 people.  

Over 200 students reached through workshops and seminars in schools.   

A policy report “Tjejer Fred och Säkerhet with recommendations for Sweden’s implementation of UNSC Resolution 2250 was created and reached several Swedish decision makers.   

Publications: Tjejer, Fred och Säkerhet

The project was carried out in Palestine and aimed primarily to raise awareness of democracy, equality and women’s political participation. In addition, the project focussed on leadership, communication and media, providing participants with strategies and tools to get their messages across to a wider audience.   

Project: PROMOTING NEW DEMOCRACIES  

Country: Palestine  

Partner organisation: Women Media and Development (TAM)  

Donor: Swedish Institute  

Project period: 1 June 2017 – 31 December 2018  

Purpose: To increase knowledge about democracy, freedom, equality and women’s political participation.  

Target group: 37 students, aged 20-25 

How: Participants attended capacity building sessions on democracy, freedom, equality and political participation. Media workshops were held to discuss how women are portrayed in the Palestinian media. Two films were created on women’s rights and democracy. A conference and a number of lectures were held to raise awareness of UNSC Resolution 1325 and women’s political participation. A study trip was carried out, four Palestinian participants went to Sweden to meet young Swedes and Swedish organisations to discuss gender issues and democracy. Within the project a database “Women’s Database” was also created, to which the names of young women in leadership positions, as well as men who support women’s rights, were collected and are available for interviews. The database is available to the media and aims to increase the representation of women and women’s perspectives in media production.   

Results: The project contributed to increased knowledge about human rights, women’s rights, equality, democracy and freedom of expression. Knowledge that participants can use to become stronger leaders for change in these areas at their universities and in society at large. Participants have gained enhanced skills in communication, co-operation and leadership, which are essential for reaching out with both knowledge and messages. The “Women’s Database” is frequently used by media channels and contributes to the representation of women in the media.   

•  135 women and 21 men collected for the Women’s Database 
• A research report on the National Action Plan for the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 was created.  
• Total of several hundred reached through lectures, conferences etc.   

The Mediation Lab was organised in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and Colombia with the aim of sharing knowledge and experiences on women’s peacebuilding from different contexts. The project enabled women peace workers from several countries to meet and work together to strengthen women’s capacity to learn from each other and work for peace.   

Project: Mediation Lab  

Country: Colombia, Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Sweden, Turkey, Yemen  

Partner organisation: Iniciativa de Mujeres Colombianas por la Paz, KÖM Turkey, Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD)  

Donor organisation: MUCF, Folke Bernadotte Academy

Project period: 2016 – 2017  

Purpose: A triangular exchange of experiences to highlight innovative, successful mediation processes that have led to increased security and women’s participation. To identify what made these mediation processes successful and how it can be replicated in other areas and conflicts.   

Target group: Women peace actors, civil society organisations, academics and local policy makers from Colombia and the MENA region 

How: The project started with an inventory of mediation experiences and knowledge, through interviews and digital research. The project created a reference group of experts and decision-makers in peacemaking. As part of the project, a central mediation conference was organised for the empowerment of women as peacebrokers. The aim of this conference was to exchange experiences, knowledge and create shared learning. In each participating country, smaller conferences were held where partner organisations shared new insights and disseminated mediation skills in their context. Lessons learnt and tools from the project were disseminated digitally, including through the creation and publication of a report and a handbook on the topic. An advocacy letter was sent to, among others, the UN Security Council and the UN Member States Support Unit.   

Results: Women’s and peace organisations have shared experiences and increased their knowledge of mediation in other contexts to draw lessons for their own peace work. Through the conferences, the publication of a report and a handbook on women, peace and security, knowledge has reached beyond the primary target group. Through contact with decision-makers, participants were able to influence at a higher level.   

• Handbook on peace negotiation Mediation Lab – Women Pacemakers as mediators’ was created  
• Report ‘Mediation and Influence Insightse’ released  
• Letters of influence sent to, among others, the UN Security Council and the UN Member States Support Unit. 

Publications: 

Mediation Lab – Women Pacemakers as mediators (eng)

Mediation Lab – Women Pacemakers as mediators (arabic)

Mediation Lab – Women Pacemakers as mediators (español

Mediation Lab –  Women Pacemakers as mediators (türkçe)

Mediation and Influence

The Projection Lab 1.0 project was implemented in a number of countries in the MENA region. The aim was to increase women’s participation in the media, in civil society organisations and in leadership positions. The project helped to strengthen participants’ ability to influence and express their views for peace and security.   

Project: Projection lab 1.0  

Country: MENA countries: Egypt, Iraq-Kurdistan, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Syria Tunisia,   

Partner organisation: Wi’am (Palestine), All Girls Foundation for Development (AGF) (Yemen),   

Donor: Swedish Institute  

Project period: June-December 2016-2017  

Purpose: To increase the participation and improve the portrayal of women from the MENA region in news media, leadership positions and women’s organisations. To create a local network of engaged young women.    

Target group: Members of civil society organisations  

How: Planning meetings were held with the participants where the project was designed in more detail together. Workshops were then held for the participants where they were given basic knowledge of UNSC Resolution 1325, strategies, goals and follow-up, and given the opportunity to share experiences and knowledge with each other.  Together, they created a common strategy for the projection of women’s voices, democracy and an equal society – ‘Projection Lab 1.0’. A conference paper on equality and freedom was also created and widely disseminated. Finally, a project proposal was created for sustainable future collaborations within the platform.   

Results: The project has strengthened the participants’ media agency, raised awareness and strengthened their individual opinions and democracy. Participants have had the opportunity to work together, raising their voices and strength for peace and security.   

• Strategy for future cooperation on the projection of women’s views and experiences of equality, democracy and peace in MENA ‘Projection Lab 1.0’ was created.   
• Project proposals for sustainable future collaborations within the platform were created.  
• Conference proceedings were created to be distributed to researchers, media and other stakeholders within the equality and peace sector.   

The Women and Media in MENA project was implemented in Sweden, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine. The aim was to create platforms for women and peace groups to raise awareness of the women, peace and security agenda. The project created new meeting places for women and media actors. Participants learnt how media can be used as a tool for knowledge and advocacy.   

Project: Women and Media in the MENA region    

Country: Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Sweden   

Partner organisation: Women Empowerment Organization (WEO), Media Association for Peace (MAP), TAM – Women, Media and Development   

Donor: Folke Bernadotte Academy, Swedish Institute.    

Project period: October 2014 – January 2016   

Purpose: To explore and contribute to creative media forums for women and peace groups that serve as platforms to draw attention to the women, peace and security agenda in the MENA region.    

Target group: Women’s organisations fighting for peace, women’s rights and democracy.   

How: The participating organisations identified existing meeting points and relationships between women’s groups and the media sector in the project countries. The results were summarised in a report that was presented during a joint meeting. During the week of the meeting, workshops and discussions were also held on the challenges, differences and similarities between the countries regarding women’s rights and media. Together, they drafted a brochure and a toolkit with collected success stories and tools for improved cooperation between media and civil society organisations.   

Following needs and evaluations in the project countries, the common media toolkit was refined and formed the basis for a series of interactive workshops and discussion groups with participants. The toolkit was then published, followed by a panel discussion and seminar attended by, among others, Swedish and international media as well as Swedish parliamentarians and government members. A panel discussion on UNSC Resolution 1325 and women and the media was also held with the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which then invited to a discussion on the same issues. Communicative PR events and social media campaigns were also organised to disseminate the toolkit to the public in the participating countries.     

Results: Meeting points and relationships between women’s groups and the media have been identified in the different countries. Participants have strengthened their capacity to portray women, peace and security in the media. They have also strengthened their advocacy skills to increase the dissemination of information on women’s rights and make it more relevant to decision-makers. In a longer perspective, the participants can contribute to a more frequent and fair reporting and portrayal of women and women’s rights in the media.    

• Media tools on women’s rights in relation to the media were created and published in English and Arabic.   
• The project reached several government and parliamentary members as well as Swedish and international media.   

Project: Women as Peacebuilders – Evolving collaboration

Country: Palestine and Israel

Year: 2009

Donor: Folke Bernadotte Academy

Purpose: To facilitate and enable continued contact and collaboration between women’s organisations working for peace in Palestine and Israel through the exchange of experiences, to map the peacebuilding work and to explore opportunities to develop structures that facilitate regional collaboration. Offer a meeting place for dialogue between actors working with advocacy and peacebuilding.

Target group: Women from Palestine and Israel involved in civil society organisations. The second target group was EU officials working on the EU’s role and commitments in Israel and Palestine.

How: Participants were invited to an initial exchange of experiences and interaction for idea sharing and dialogue sessions. The meeting took place in Istanbul.

Results: Participants discussed these topics: the situation in Gaza, the occupation and settlements, and the peace process which was considered discriminatory towards Palestinians and women. This led to an exchange of views and experiences between participants and EU representatives on EU policy towards Israel. There was a common interest in increased contact and cooperation between NGOs and EU staff.

Publication: Women As Peace Builders

Project: Crossing the bridge

Year: 2009

Country: Israel and Palestine

Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Objective: To promote and enable continued contact and cooperation between women’s organisations working for peace in Israel and Palestine. Through exchange of experiences in order to explore potential avenues for peace building work. Information about UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is shared in the media and advocacy work is done to make women’s voices heard and contribute to the implementation of Resolution 1325. As well as offering a meeting place for dialogue between women from Israel and Palestine.

How: Capacity building seminar in Cyprus with 14 women from Israeli and Palestinian women and peace organisations.

Results: Exchange of experiences between women from Palestine and Israel, which was unique as it brings together women who are not able to meet in their own region due to the current conflict. By empowering these women with education, it indirectly created a greater opportunity for more women to be included in all aspects of the peace process.

Publication: Crossing the Bridge

Project: Finding Pathways

Country: Palestine and Israel

Donor: Folke Bernadotte Academy

Objectives: The project consisted of two parts, a dialogue seminar and a lecture. The aim of the dialogue seminar was to give Israeli and Palestinian women peace workers the opportunity to meet on neutral ground to enable contacts, exchange of experiences and cooperation. The aim of the dialogue was to raise awareness of women’s peace initiatives related to UNSC Resolution 1325 among the Swedish public and to stimulate debate on the resolution.

Results: Participants expressed appreciation for the dialogue seminar as they discussed how to develop partnerships, how to reach a wider audience with the message of peace, and how to put the lessons learned into practice. Participants expressed a willingness to continue with future meetings and considered them necessary to follow up on the work and enable deeper contact between women peace workers.

Publication: Finding Pathways

Project: Bridge building Mission in the West Bank

Country: Palestine

Project period: 2007-2008

Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Partner organisation: Wi’am

Purpose: For one week, Operation 1325 and Wi’am invited 22 Palestinian women active in peace and women’s organizations in the West Bank to a meeting in Jericho. The purpose was to listen and learn from each other’s strategies for peace and gender equality, contribute to women’s empowerment, identify opportunities for joint work, and make contacts.

Publications: Report_Jericho

Project: Building bridges to make change

Project period: 2007

Country: Israel and Palestine

Donor: Folke Bernadotte Academy

Objective: To develop collaboration based on ideas, questions and needs expressed during a first seminar organised with the support of FBA in March 2007. To highlight and disseminate information about women’s peace work and experiences of the conflict in Israel and Palestine.

Results: The project received a lot of media attention and impact with articles and reports in SVT Aktuellt and Swedish Radio.

The conclusion was that the biggest challenge was to get women’s voices heard regarding the situation in Israel and Palestine. Participants identified the need to share and disseminate information aimed at decision-makers. Participants also received media training. The importance of multilingual materials was emphasised. It is important that the information focuses on the strength of women as active agents of change.

Publications: How To Wage Peace Istanbul

Project: Women in the Arab Spring/Regional Work in North Africa and the Middle East

Country: Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, Iraqi Kurdistan, Palestine and Tunisia

Project duration: 2012

Purpose: To broaden regional contacts to exchange experiences and strategies to increase women’s political influence in the region.

Target group: 20 organisations working to implement UNSC Resolution 1325 in their respective countries.

How: A conference was organised together with Norwegian Church Aid, where organisations with experts on UNSC Resolution 1325 in each country compiled experiences and challenges, which were then used as a basis for the conference. During the conference, the organisations were actively involved in both designing and implementing the exchange of experiences, with a focus on sharing creative tools.