Project Name: Women’s Leadership for Peace Building in Darfur (LEAP) – Implemented in Khartoum and Darfur states – with the purpose that WAP-Darfur would successfully lobby and mediate for peace in Darfur.

Fifteen humanitarian organisations from 5 sub-regions (states) in Darfur, managed by women, succeeded in setting up and maintaining an informal network called Women for Peace in Darfur.
Women’s Alliance for Peace (WAP) DArfur is a robust network of women leaders in Darfur, prepared to lobby at the level of sub-regions, the whole region and on national and international level for women’s rights as formulated in resolution 1325.

Each of the member organisations is firmly committed to mainstream 1325 in their daily activities with humanitarian work, health and education. In each sub-region other organisations are being registered as affiliates to the network. Individually, the women leaders act and are recognized as mediators for peace in their own community, at government level and at regional level. They are ready to train other women in these skills. Concrete examples of their work are published in the booklet “Portraits of Women Peace Makers in Darfur”.

Network members were coached to strengthen their organisations, cooperate with each other and mainstream 1325 activities in their work.
The network initiated 3 important regional mediation initiatives, that produced peace agreements between different tribes in different states. They multiplied workshops, training and sensitization with influential actors in their own state.
Communication skills were strengthened in order to approach security officers, government entities, native administrators, imams and community leaders in a sensitive way and to cooperate with them in local 1325 committees. Needs assessments in the IDP camps and in poor neighbourhoods of their towns and villages were performed. A stakeholder consultation took place with a large group of young people in El Fashir, girls and boys, In addition they engaged other organisations in their state to cooperate in peace making activities. Furthermore much publicity was given around the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, both in Darfur, Khartoum and internationally.

At the end of the training, 15 women leaders received a well-deserved certificate in mediation.
Costs: € 148.133,00
Lead Manager: VOND,
Donor: The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs