Empowering Africa: IWPG Launches Peace Committees in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali
Peace is expanding its global footprint. On April 4, 2026, the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) Global District 7 held an online inauguration ceremony for new Women’s Peace Committees in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. This event marked a significant step in mobilizing West African women as proactive architects of sustainable peace.
A New Chapter for Local Leadership
The newly established committees consist of seven influential women leaders—four from Côte d'Ivoire and three from Mali. These individuals are not merely participants but seasoned activists dedicated to human rights and education within their communities.
Among the appointees, Konan Gladys, President of the FAFCO federation in Côte d'Ivoire, shared her commitment to the cause. Having completed the IWPG Peace Lecturer Training Education (PLTE) in 2025, she noted that the program facilitated a profound personal transformation, fueling her desire to bring peace to both her village and her nation.
Strengthening Regional Solidarity
The ceremony also highlighted the ongoing collaboration in Mali. Korotoumou Koné, a prominent activist in women’s rights and education, emphasized the unique role of women in connecting people. Following an MOU signed in January between IWPG and the WiLDAF-AO network in Mali, the committee aims to deepen these ties to ensure that the message of peace resonates throughout the region.
The event gained further international attention with the participation of Kassoum Coulibaly, CEO of Africa Gender TV. As an expert in the safety of women and children, Coulibaly expressed a strong intent to collaborate with IWPG, citing a shared mission to protect and educate those most vulnerable to the effects of conflict.
Three Strategic Pillars for Change
Eun-kyung Kim, Director of IWPG Global District 7, outlined three strategic directions for the committees:
Spreading Awareness: Promoting a culture of peace through grassroots initiatives.
Developing Peace Educators: Training local women to become certified peace lecturers.
Building Global Networks: Strengthening the solidarity between African women and the international community.
"Peace is built through small efforts to understand one another and through collaborative action," Director Kim stated during the ceremony, urging the committees to become a community that drives large-scale change through these small, consistent steps.
The Expansion of the Peace Committee Model
The Peace Committee is a core organizational unit of IWPG, designed to operate according to the cultural and situational characteristics of each region. While the model has been highly successful in South Korea, expanding to even the smallest administrative levels, this latest launch in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali represents the strategic extension of this system into the African continent.
As an international NGO with consultative status at the UN ECOSOC, IWPG continues to advocate for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) and the universal implementation of peace education, ensuring that women everywhere remain at the forefront of the global peace movement.
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