Women urged to champion peace from the grassroots

Women have been urged to take a leading role in promoting peace within families and communities, with advocates arguing that lasting peace begins at the grassroots rather than through governments alone.

The call was made during the Kenya Women's Peace Conference 2026 organised by the International Women's Peace Group (IWPG) in Nairobi, bringing together civil society representatives and government stakeholders under the theme, "Women Leading Peace: Connecting Women for Sustainable Peace in Kenya."

Delivering the keynote address, IWPG Chairwoman Na Yeong Jeon said sustainable peace requires the active participation of women within their communities.

"Peace does not begin with governments or international institutions alone. It begins within families and local communities. When women connect with one another and share their experiences, more practical and sustainable peace becomes possible," she said.

Jeon said women have a unique role in nurturing dialogue and strengthening social cohesion, noting that community-based peace initiatives can have a lasting impact on society.

Drawing lessons from South Korea's development journey, she said mothers played a critical role through education and community involvement, expressing hope that Kenyan women would also emerge as peace leaders through peace education.

The conference also highlighted IWPG's ongoing peace initiatives in Kenya. IWPG Nairobi Branch Manager Judith Otieno outlined programmes including the Peace Culture Festival held in April to commemorate International Women's Peace Day and the recent Peace Talk forum aimed at encouraging dialogue among women.

IWPG is an international non-governmental organisation affiliated with the United Nations through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Department of Global Communications (DGC).

The organisation promotes women's peace education and a culture of peace through a global network of branches and partner organisations across more than 120 countries.