Moving Beyond Militarism & War: An International Conference

The conference – hosted in Belfast by Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire –  will for the first time bring together all six Laureates of the Nobel Women’s Initiative.  They will be joined by over 80 influential activists, academics, and decision makers from across the globe whose work focuses on ending militarism and war with nonviolent strategies for peace.

War, militarism, and violence affect communities around the world on a horrific scale. Of those affected by conflict, women are often among the most vulnerable and marginalized. Alarmingly, militarism and war are on the rise; the last two decades have witnessed a steady rise in global military spending while funding is diverted from critical social services such as healthcare and education. In particular, sexual violence, inequality, environmental destruction, and natural resource conflicts jeopardize women’s security.

Moving Beyond Militarism & War: Women-driven solutions for a nonviolent world will explore the root causes and effects of militarism and war, as well as the nonviolent strategies women are undertaking in bringing about change. While often the most marginalized by war and violence, women are also at the forefront of creative and innovative nonviolent action. By listening, learning, and amplifying women’s voices, we hope to bring attention to the gendered impacts of war and violence and advance global movements for peace.

Stay tuned in the coming days on Facebook, Twitter (#womenbeyondwar), Instagram (@nobelwomen), and our Women Beyond War Blog as we post photos, videos, facts and quotes and spotlight some of our extraordinary participants!