COLOMBIA, January 1, 2026 – The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), Global Region 2, led by Regional Director Seo Yeon Lee, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ASOVIAFOR, an association representing victims of conflict in Colombia, to foster mutual cooperation in peacebuilding and community recovery.
ASOVIAFOR is a victim-led alliance primarily composed of women who have endured forced displacement, loss of family members, and sexual violence amid Colombia’s prolonged civil war. The organization has long promoted community healing, women’s social participation, and victim-centered peace education, building models of reconciliation rooted in lived experiences.
The MOU formalizes collaboration between an international women’s peace organization and a conflict victims’ alliance in South America, with the goal of empowering victims and women citizens to act as agents of peace rather than passive subjects. Both organizations plan to hold in-depth discussions to outline phased cooperation based on trust and shared understanding.
At the signing ceremony, Seo Yeon Lee highlighted the practical nature of peace, saying, “Peace does not become reality through declarations alone; it is realized only when put into practice through education and solidarity within local communities.” She emphasized the importance of expanding peace education, community dialogue, and sustainable, community-based peace initiatives through cooperation with local organizations.
ASOVIAFOR Representative RosiAlbani Perez Belalcazar described the partnership as a pivotal step in giving women affected by conflict a meaningful role in implementing peace, stating, “I hope this agreement will provide an opportunity for victims to stand not as subjects of silence, but as active agents in building peace.”
The agreement is expected to serve as a foundation for extending women- and victim-led peace initiatives beyond Colombia, offering models of community-rooted reconciliation for the broader South American region and the international community.
IWPG, a global women’s NGO registered with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Department of Global Communications (DGC), operates through 115 branches in 122 countries and collaborates with around 800 partner organizations in 68 countries. The organization advocates for sustainable world peace, women’s peace education, and the implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).
