Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - WILPF

We often hear: “there is no correlation between military spending and lack of investments in social well-being", but this is a myth. Like other spending, the defence budget is a political choice, subject to governments’ own priorities.  Even if it seems a logical consequence that creating extra budget through loans would shield other spending, the reality that we witness today tells a different story : the highest ever recorded global military expenditure ($2.88 trillion, according to SIPRI) and in parallel, unprecedented financial cuts of multilateral organizations precisely created to maintain international peace through peaceful means.  But have you ever wondered where this money actually comes from? Public funds: taxes paid today, or debt repaid by taxpayers tomorrow. Either way, it is people who ultimately pay the bill. The same people who depend on public health systems, affordable housing, and quality education are indirectly financing a system that weakens their own security, well-being, and fundamental rights.  It can’t be clearer which priorities our governments have chosen.  It’s time to fund peace instead of war.  Visit wilpf.org to find out how you can help #MoveTheMoney toward peace.  #MoveTheMoney #Demilitarisation #Disarmament #MilitarySpending #WILPF

The First International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels wrapped up yesterday in Santa Marta, Colombia — where WILPF’s Genevieve Riccoboni and LIMPAL Colombia's Diana María Salcedo López spoke about the launch of The Double Dividend, our new joint report with the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative. In an interview with We Don't Have Time, they explain why reducing military spending can help generate the finance and cooperation needed for a global just transition. They also discuss why feminist perspectives are essential to conversations on peace, war, and fossil fuels: confronting structural inequalities, centring affected communities, and advancing solutions rooted in justice rather than militarisation. Looking ahead, they reflect on the need to build momentum for a Fossil Fuel Treaty and ensure peace and demilitarisation are part of the global climate agenda. 📄 Watch the interview: https://lnkd.in/dQzCUDUK 🎥  Read the paper to learn more: https://shorturl.at/gE5kh

URGENT: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS UNDER ATTACK 🚨 We are alarmed to report that Ukrainian peace activist Nina Potarska, former WILPF's Ukraine Consultant, is among hundreds of civilians aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla whose vessels have been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. Nina is not alone. She is one of more than 400 activists, human rights defenders, and civilians from across the world, all on a nonviolent humanitarian mission to deliver aid to Gaza, now facing intimidation, detention, and violence at sea. ⚠️ Armed military units have reportedly surrounded unarmed civilian boats far from any Israeli jurisdiction ⚠️ Communications have been jammed, with multiple vessels unreachable ⚠️ Those on board are at risk of illegal detention and serious harm This is a serious breach of international law. Targeting civilian humanitarian missions in international waters is unlawful and endangers lives. Every person on board must be protected. 📢 We call on governments worldwide to: Take immediate action to ensure the safety of all flotilla participants Demand an end to unlawful interceptions at sea Uphold international law and protect humanitarian access to Gaza We stand in solidarity with Nina and every individual on these vessels. Their courage must not be met with violence. Silence is complicity. #FreeTheFlotilla #ProtectHumanRights #WILPF #InternationalLaw #Gaza #Solidarity

Today at #WomenDeliver, WILPF is hosting a session you shouldn’t miss: “Rebuilding Solidarity: Feminist Movements and the Funding Crisis in SWANA”      📅 Thursday, 30 April   🕐 1:30 – 2:30 PM at the Resourcing Hub hosted by Alliance for Feminist Movements 📍 Resourcing Hub      Across the #SWANA region, feminist movements are under pressure, funding is shifting, restrictions are increasing, and space for political work is shrinking.      In Lebanon and Palestine, feminist and community-led initiatives are too often left to face a breakdown of trust and resources from donors and allies.      Let’s talk about what this means in practice and what real solidarity looks like in response.      If you’re at #WomenDeliver2026 join us in person.      #WD2026 #FeministSolidarity #RebuildingSolidarity #WD2026 #WILPF Women Deliver Dr Amrita Kapur

Gender justice cannot be achieved without addressing militarism and the root causes of conflict 📢 At #WomenDeliver 2026, our Secretary-General Dr Amrita Kapur reflects on this critical moment for feminist movements worldwide. As WILPF marks 111 years of advocating for peace, we continue to push for institutional transformation, disarmament, and a future grounded in inclusive and sustainable peace. #WILPF #WomenDeliver #FeministPeace #GenderJustice #Disarmament #PeaceNow Women Deliver

Happening today at #WomenDeliver in Melbourne  WILPF’s Secretary-General Dr Amrita Kapurwill be speaking at the plenary Building Economies that Deliver: Care, Public Services, and Shared Prosperity (4:00–5:30 pm).    This timely conversation will explore how we can reframe care and public services as the foundation of strong, equitable economies — and what it takes to make different political and fiscal choices that truly support people and communities.    Join the plenary and be part of this important global conversation.    #WomenDeliver2026 #HappeningToday #FeministEconomies #CareEconomy #EconomicJustice #GenderEquality #WILPF #SharedProsperity #InvestInCare #FeministLeadership Women Deliver

For 111 years, WILPF has chosen feminist peace over war economies, peacebuilding over militarism, and collective care over violence.  While governments funnel trillions into armament products, we demand investment in what truly keeps us safe: social welfare, gender justice, sustainable development and ecological regeneration.    War is a choice. So is peace. Join us building it: https://lnkd.in/dikXbSXD #MoveTheMoney #WILPF111 

You have the responsibility to deliver a world without nuclear weapons to future generations and to protect the current one from the catastrophe of nuclear disasters” – this is the powerful message of the international Disarmament Working Group of #WILPF. In a world of escalating conflicts and genocide, where international law is increasingly under threat, we stand firm: we refuse the normalisation of #militarism — including the continued existence and threat of nuclear weapons. For the 2026 #NPT Review Conference, we call on all States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to honor their legal and moral obligations — and to commit, once and for all, to complete nuclear #disarmament. Nuclear weapons do not bring security, but are instruments of structural violence that deepen global inequalities. We therefore call on all states to recognise nuclear disarmament as essential for social justice - including gender justice. Read the full statement here: https://shorturl.at/FdrG7

Why I Am at Sea Heading to Gaza? I have been on the road for two days now. Currently, I am in the open sea, heading toward Gaza as part of the humanitarian Global Sumud Flotilla For me, as someone who has spent years working and researching in conflict settings, this is not about political messaging. It is about consistency. International humanitarian law is not an abstract framework to be debated in classrooms, it is a practical standard designed to protect civilians when political processes fail. It either applies universally, or it loses its meaning entirely. The context we are heading into is one where access to essential goods—including food and medical supplies—remains severely restricted. In such a reality, questions of blockade and humanitarian access are not theoretical - they shape everyday survival. My own experience of the war in Ukraine is inseparable from how I think about this journey: I know what it means to lose a sense of home and to live under persistent threat. I know what it feels like when your reality is only partially acknowledged within international discourse, or when it is viewed through "convenient" filters. It is a matter of coherence: if we stand against occupation, violence, and displacement in one context, we cannot relativize them in another without undermining the very frameworks we rely on for our own struggle for justice. In Ukraine, we see how the unthinkable becomes mundane: children go to school and people go to work while living under constant threat, while in the gray zones, people are dying from shelling and starvation. Drones are hunting down civilians in towns near the front lines, and this senseless hunt has neither purpose nor justification. This normalization of horror is a reality I know too well. This journey to Gaza carries real risks. I have completed extensive safety training and approach this with a clear understanding of the constraints, but I also recognize the limits of control in such environments. I will be sharing observations from this journey. I understand that for some, this topic may be difficult to read or may cause internal resistance—I fully respect your decision to mute my updates for a while. However, I invite you to remain open to a reality that may be complex and uncomfortable. True justice and humanitarian security cannot be contingent, they must belong to everyone, regardless of the context. Wish me luck. Media Contacts: Email: sumud_flotilla_ukraine@proton.me Telegram: t.me/resist_UAde Instagram: instagram.com/resist_ua or instagram.com/sumud_ukr X: https://lnkd.in/eMiJc7aN TikTok: https://lnkd.in/eezRmteX #HumanitarianAid #InternationalLaw #HumanDignity #Gaza #Ukraine #SumudFlotilla #ConflictStudies #HumanitarianAccess #HumanitarianAid #InternationalLaw #HumanDignity #Gaza #Ukraine #SumudFlotilla #ConflictStudies #HumanitarianAccess

This week at #WomenDeliver, WILPF’s Secretary-General Dr Amrita Kapur will be speaking at the plenary: Building Economies that Deliver: Care, Public Services, and Shared Prosperity (April 29, 4:00–5:30 pm). At a time when public services are underfunded and care work continues to fall disproportionately on women, this conversation will spotlight what it takes to build economies rooted in justice, equity, and shared prosperity.    Join the plenary and be part of the conversation on rethinking economic priorities and investing in the systems people rely on.    #FeministEconomies #CareEconomy #PublicServices #EconomicJustice #GenderEquality #WILPF #SharedProsperity #InvestInCare #FeministLeadership #WD #WomenDeliver2026 #WD2026 Women Deliver