Cross-Border Initiatives

If history has taught us anything, it is to never underestimate the power of what a group of women can achieve when they work together. Every year, the Cross-border Initiatives Award recognizes one outstanding civil society organisation (CSO) working to create networks of women from conflict contexts across the Asia-Pacific region.

Women’s experiences and voices are often made invisible in conflict and peacebuilding environments. Cross-border networks can provide much needed support for women who have undergone similar experiences of marginalization and struggle, and enable them to collectively address challenges on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). Many countries across the region are also at different stages of post-conflict and peace process. Cross-border networks can provide opportunities for women peacebuilders to learn how other women at more advanced stages of the peace process overcame barriers to ensure inclusion and participation. These also offer opportunities to identify how they can incorporate these learning into their own advocacy strategies.

To be eligible, the initiative must address cross-border or regional level challenges on Women, Peace and Security, must have key beneficiaries of the project from communities from more than one country, and must respond to one of the three the following three areas of the WPS agenda:  

  1. Ensuring women’s equal participation in the decision making process;  
  2. Protecting and promoting the rights of women in conflict affected situations; and  
  3. Preventing conflict and all forms of violence against women in conflict and post conflict situations. 

To apply for a N-Peace CSO Award/Small Grant, please check this page in Spring 2019.