Women’s leadership in peace processes delivers clear and proven results, yet women continue to be systematically excluded from decision-making spaces. Addressing this gap has been central to the work of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), which has taken consistent steps to promote women’s full and meaningful participation in politics and peace.
Between 2021 and 2025, NIMD implemented the LEAP4Peace programme in Burundi, Colombia and Myanmar. The programme was funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs under its Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Grant and focused on creating a more enabling environment for women to engage in political and peace processes. Alongside this, NIMD served as an international NGO partner of the Rapid Response Window of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), through which it provided more than 14 grants to women’s organizations. These grants supported women-led political advocacy in peace negotiations and in the implementation of peace agreements.
The combined experience of LEAP4Peace and NIMD’s work with the WPHF highlighted several important lessons on advancing women’s participation in peace and politics. One key insight is that peacebuilding is inherently political. Women’s influence in peace and security processes grows when efforts strengthen women’s political leadership while also engaging political institutions, recognizing the different roles and entry points through which women participate in political and peace-related work.
Another major lesson is the importance of investing in women’s capacities and creating safe spaces for dialogue. Building trust, fostering networks and supporting the development of shared agendas among diverse groups of women have proven effective in transforming political actors and shaping more inclusive public policies. These approaches enable women to take ownership of processes and play an active role in advocacy initiatives.
The work also underscored the need for adaptability and gender-responsive approaches. Effective strategies must be tailored to context-specific needs, including appropriate training spaces, safety concerns and structural barriers that limit women’s participation. In conflict-affected settings or environments where civic space is restricted, expanding women’s participation requires action at multiple levels, from grassroots to national platforms. Local women social and political leaders play a particularly important role in translating and implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda on the ground.
Finally, strong partnerships emerged as a critical factor in amplifying impact. Through LEAP4Peace, collaboration with national women’s organizations, women’s networks, public institutions and local authorities helped extend the programme’s reach and contributed to the sustainability of the progress achieved.
