Women, Peace, Security
As we mark the 25th anniversary of the UN’s Women, Peace and Security agenda, the landscape of conflict is more widespread than most of us have experienced in our lifetimes. Despite some progress, the specific needs of women and girls in conflict-affected contexts too often remain overlooked. Even as women endure the frontlines, their voices continue to be sidelined in decision making processes that shape the wider peace and security agenda.
Amid the erosion of women’s rights in many regions, this session will examine how to bring the Women, Peace and Security agenda back to the forefront of today’s shifting security landscape.
Speakers
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Esther Ndihano AtoshaExecutive DirectorEsther Ndihano Atosha
Executive Director
Women in Peace and Governance (WIPG-DRC)Esther Ndihano is a human rights advocate, peacebuilder, and governance specialist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As Executive Director of Women in Peace and Governance (WIPG-DRC), she leads programmes promoting inclusive governance, women’s leadership, and youth participation in peace and security. A co-founder of the Congolese Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security, she champions the implementation of UN Resolutions 1325 and 2250, integrating women’s and youth voices into policy. Under her leadership, WIPG-DRC has empowered over 15,000 young people in leadership, entrepreneurship, and mediation, and successfully advocated for gender-sensitive data and a budget line for the Youth, Peace, and Security Plan in South Kivu. As National Coordinator of the Young Women Leaders for Peace (YWL) under the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), Esther advances the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas in eastern DRC, linking local action with global frameworks. She also promotes women’s economic empowerment as a consultant for Street Business School and the US State Department’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), helping women launch sustainable businesses and strengthen community resilience. Co-author of Young Women in the Lead: Actualising the Nexus between WPS and YPS (2024), she highlights how young women in South Kivu drive inclusive peace. Her work has earned multiple honours, including the Fastest Rising Peace Builder in East Africa 2025 Award, a Mandela Washington Fellowship at Syracuse University, recognition for Superior Performance in the Kecktil Programme, and selection among the 50 Rising Voices and Story Award Winners by World Pulse. Active on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/esther-atosha-a12b00177), she shares insights on leadership and governance, inspiring a new generation of changemakers for peace and equality.
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Stephanie SiddallDirector of Global Policy and Advocacy
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Nisren Habib
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Sophie Giscard D'estaing