The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is an international Non Governmental Organization with sections in 40 countries as well as offices in Geneva and New York based at the United Nations.
Since 1915, WILPF has brought women from across the world together. They share a vision of peace by non-violent means, promoting justice for all.
In the UK, WILPF members work in branches or as individuals, offering a feminist perspective to building peace. We lobby and challenge government, explore root causes of conflict and mobilise women in preventing war and building peace.
“The thesis that wars are inevitable, is both the denial of the sovereignty of the intellect, as well as a betrayal of the deepest instincts of the human being.” -International Women’s Peace
WILPF aims to facilitate structural changes to achieve social, economic and political equality for all without discrimination on grounds of sex, race, religion or any other grounds. To achieve these goals WILPF works for:
- The abolition of the war system, the elimination of the root causes of war and conflict.
- The abolition of violence and coercion in the settlement of conflict, as well as the use of dialogue, negotiation and conciliation for non-violent resolution of conflict.
- Total and universal disarmament.
- The elimination of racism, racial and all other forms of discrimination.
- Sustainable economic and social development that meets the needs of all peoples and protects bio-diversity and the Earth’s limited resources.
- The promotion and protection of women’s rights and equal and full participation of women in all political, social and economic processes.
- Political and social equality and economic justice.
- The strengthening of the United Nations system and the development of, and respect for, international law.
Aims and Principles
- To bring together women of different political beliefs and philosophies who are united in their determination to study, make known and help abolish the causes and the legitimization of war;
- To work toward world peace; total and universal disarmament; the abolition of violence and coercion in the settlement of conflict and their substitution in every case of negotiation and conciliation; the strengthening of the United Nations system; the continuous development and implementation of international law; political and social equality and economic equity; co-operation among all people; and an environmentally sustainable development.
- Believing that under systems of exploitation these aims cannot be attained and a real and lasting peace and true freedom cannot exist, WILPF makes it one of its missions to further by non- violent means the social and economic transformation of the international community. This would enable the establishment of economic and social systems in which political equality and social justice for all can be attained, without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or any other grounds whatsoever.
OPPOSING WORLD WAR ONE
Find out more about our exciting work around this project here.