WEB DESK: The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) Global Region 2 has concluded a series of peace initiatives in Tanzania aimed at expanding women’s peace education and strengthening international cooperation across East Africa.
The activities, held in Dar es Salaam from July 5 to 9, followed IWPG’s participation in the Second Pan-African Conference on Gender Equality in Education (PANCOGEd2), jointly organised by the African Union, UNESCO and partner organisations.
According to IWPG, the Tanzania mission focused on establishing a regional peace partnership platform connecting government institutions, women’s organisations, media and local communities while promoting a sustainable women’s peace education network.
As part of the visit, IWPG organised the eighth International Loving-Peace Art Competition – Tanzania Preliminary Round and Award Ceremony, where more than 100 children participated under the theme “My Story of Peace.” The competition encouraged children to express messages of peace, coexistence and hope through artwork while learning the values of peace through creative expression.
On July 9, IWPG, in collaboration with the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Tanzania Chapter, hosted the Tanzania Women’s Peace Forum under the theme “Advancing Peace, Wellness, and Collaboration for Women in Tanzania and South Korea.”
The forum highlighted IWPG’s global peace initiatives and featured discussions on women’s peace education, community healing, women’s role in sustainable peace and opportunities for international cooperation.
During the event, IWPG introduced its Women’s Peace Education programme, describing it as a preventive peacebuilding model designed to empower women as leaders of peace within families, communities and future generations.
Representatives from the AWLN Tanzania Chapter, Nendiwe Feminist Wellness and Healing Centre, Gazetini Media Organization and several women’s organisations and media institutions attended the forum and exchanged views on expanding community-led peacebuilding efforts.
IWPG and AWLN also agreed to broaden their partnership by involving more women’s organisations and institutions in future initiatives centred on women’s peace education.
Addressing the forum, IWPG Global Region 2 Director Seo Yeon Lee said peace begins with education and stressed that women should be recognised as leaders in building lasting peace.
AWLN Tanzania Chapter representative Mary Rusimbi highlighted the importance of women’s participation in peace and security, saying stronger cooperation among women’s organisations would contribute to sustainable peace.
During the visit, IWPG also signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with Tanzania Child Welfare (TCW) and Gazetini Media Organization to promote long-term cooperation in women’s peace education, youth programmes, community peace campaigns, media collaboration and women’s empowerment.
The mission concluded with an online policy dialogue between IWPG and Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Eliakim Maswi.
Both sides discussed future cooperation in women’s and youth peace education, the International Loving-Peace Art Competition and community-based peacebuilding initiatives, while agreeing to continue consultations and hold a future in-person meeting in Dodoma to strengthen collaboration between government institutions and civil society.
Following the completion of its Tanzania programme, the IWPG delegation continued its East Africa mission to Ethiopia to further expand partnerships with government institutions, universities, women’s organisations and development partners.
