Local-level Initiatives

The Local-level Initiatives award recognizes one civil society organisation (CSO) from each of our participating countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and the Philippines), conducting outstanding work at the grass-roots level to strengthen efforts to implement the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda. Often working behind the scenes, local-level civil society organisations are doing the difficult work of tackling the social norms, biased attitudes, and systems that underlie gender inequality and prevent women from being engaged in peacebuilding efforts. They work at the front lines of conflict in communities which have been severely disrupted by violence, social divisions and lack of access to resources, all of which disproportionately affect women and girls.

While investing in higher-level initiatives that target government officials, lawmakers, and policy-makers are important steps in establishing gender-inclusive peace, N-Peace believes that it is equally important to invest in organizations that are intimately familiar with their programming communities, and are therefore in the best position to understand and address their specific Women, Peace and Security-related needs.  

To be eligible, the initiative must address local/community level challenges on Women, Peace and Security, must have key beneficiaries of the project from community and local groups, and must respond to one of the three following 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.