Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security

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Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security

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Led by Amb. Melanne Verveer, GIWPS studies the impact of women’s participation in peace & security.

Women’s contributions to peace, security and development have, for far too long, been neglected in both research and practice. Often treated as the “perpetual victim”, women are relegated to the sidelines in formal and informal processes of peace-building, state-building and economic recovery. And yet, women’s participation, inclusion and leadership are integral components of building sustainable and peaceful societies. There is an urgent need to capture, evaluate and disseminate information on the impact of women in conflict and post-conflict settings. In response to this situation, The Institute for Women, Peace and Security seeks to:
• Collect quantitative and qualitative data;
• Conduct evidence-based and evaluative research;
• Disseminate a constant stream of sharp analysis on the role and impact
of women in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacemaking, humanitarian emergencies, political transitions and post-conflict
reconstruction;
• Convene thought leaders, political leaders, activists and practitioners, and to
• Train and mentor students and future leaders. In doing so, the Institute will serve as a repository of knowledge and inform the building of best practices for gender mainstreaming through a worldwide network of students, scholars, practitioners and policymakers. We envision a world where women’s contributions to peace are better reported, understood, valued and promoted.

10/16/2026

The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) hosted our annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards Ceremony this week Georgetown University.

Our executive director, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, opened the ceremony reminding everyone that economies grow and nations prosper when women are given the opportunity to participate.

“It is an evidence-based case that our world cannot get ahead if it leaves half of its population behind,” Verveer said.

Secretary Hillary Clinton joined us to honor leaders who are advancing economic opportunities for women worldwide.

This year’s awardees include director of SEWA Reema Nanavaty, founder of the Tory Burch Foundation TORY BURCH, and Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. Muna Sukhtian, board chair of شركة صندوق المرأة, Jordan’s largest non-profit microfinance institution, received our inaugural Georgetown Ambassadors Award.

“When doors of opportunity open to women, when educational pathways open to women, when societies and governments recognize the critical role women can play in lifting the economic base of an entire country, it makes a huge difference,” said Secretary Clinton.

Congratulations to our 2026 awardees. We were honored to celebrate your commitment to economic empowerment and dedication to creating a more peaceful world.

10/14/2026

Don't miss the Ceremony tomorrow, 10/15, at 10:30am ET.

This year, we are honoring leaders who are increasing women’s economic opportunity and, in turn, the prosperity, stability, and security of their communities.

Secretary Hillary Clinton will present the awards to Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus; Director of the Self Employed Women's Association of India Reema Nanavaty; and Founder of the Tory Burch Foundation TORY BURCH . We will also present the inaugural Georgetown Ambassadors Award to Muna Sukhtian, Board Chair of Microfund for Women صندوق المرأة.

https://giwps.georgetown.edu/events/the-2026-hillary-rodham-clinton-awards-ceremony-for-advancing-women-in-peace-and-security/

10/08/2026

Some stories ask us not only to look, but to look closer.

At the ways conflict lingers. At the pressures a changing climate places on daily life. At the women whose experiences sit at the intersection of both.

Today, GIWPS and Lensational begin a new collaboration, bringing together research and women-led visual storytelling to deepen how we understand gender, climate change, and conflict. At the heart of this partnership are photographs taken by women from the communities being documented, bringing their own perspectives and lived understanding to the stories they tell.

Lensational is a female-founded nonprofit organization that equips underrepresented women with photography training, equipment, and storytelling skills to document their experiences and represent their communities accurately and with dignity.

We begin with Clementine Murekeyesoni, whose life carries the history of a country marked by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, alongside the realities of sustaining a livelihood amid environmental strain. Through the lens of Rwandan photographer Ange Umutoni, Clementine’s story brings into view how the legacies of conflict, gender inequality, and environmental pressures can converge in women’s everyday lives.

Clementine’s story is only the beginning. In the months ahead, GIWPS and Lensational will continue sharing women-led visual stories that bring lived experience into conversation with research, amplify women’s knowledge and leadership, and inform conversations about policy and development.

Swipe to see Clementine’s story →

Editorial & research: Tamara Bah and Tiyandza Mngomezulu GIWPS

Photo curation: Lucile Stengel and Lydia Wanjiku Lensational

09/23/2026

Save the date for our annual Ceremony on Thursday, October 15 at 10:30am ET.

This year we will honor leaders who are increasing women’s economic opportunity and, in turn, the prosperity, stability, and security of their communities.

We are excited to present the to Nobel Prize Winner Professor Muhammad Yunus ; Director of the Self-Employed Women’s Association of India Reema Nanavaty; and Founder of the Tory Burch Foundation TORY BURCH . We will also present the inaugural Georgetown Ambassadors Award to Muna Sukhtian, Managing Director and Board Chair of شركة صندوق المرأة .

Georgetown University students, faculty and staff are welcome to join us in person and others can tune into the livestream. Click the link in our bio for more details.

09/17/2026

A new report from the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) and DROPS Afghanistan has found that despite mounting dangers and dwindling resources, Afghan women are pushing forward with peace, healthcare, and education initiatives at even higher rates than women globally.

Want to learn more? Read the full report at the link in our bio.

09/15/2026

What an incredible start to the new semester! 🌟

We had a fantastic turnout for our semester kickoff mixer, which brought together a passionate community of students dedicated to exploring critical issues of Gender, Peace, and Security, many of whom are pursuing our graduate certificate.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to Georgetown Women in International Affairs for co-hosting the event. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing these important conversations throughout the term!

Networking

08/14/2026

Five years ago, the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan. Since then, they have worked to eliminate women and girls from public life. The country continues to be the worst country in the world for women, according to our latest Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index, with a list of over 160 decrees targeting women. This state-led structural violence against women is so extreme, it amounts to gender apartheid.

Yet, Afghan women and girls continue to fight for freedom and resist oppression—as they have for decades. The women and girls of Afghanistan have not given up, and neither should the international community. The world cannot normalize the Taliban or this horrific treatment of half the country’s population.

Today, as we do every day, the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) is proud to stand with the women and girls of Afghanistan and support their vision for a free, peaceful, and equitable future.

🔗 Read more from GIWPS and Afghan women in our network using the link in our bio.

07/30/2026

Are you a Georgetown University student interested in taking a course at the intersection of gender, international security, and diplomacy this fall?

These courses are designed to equip students with the practical policy tools, critical research methods, and real-world expertise needed to navigate gender issues, international relations, and diplomacy in an ever-changing global arena.

Be sure to secure your spot before courses fill up!

Explore a full list of our courses and more student opportunities using the link in our bio.

06/25/2026

It was an honor to host this year’s Global Women Leaders Summit, which was chaired by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The event brought together a distinguished cohort of women leaders from the highest levels of public service alongside a new generation of political and civic leaders from around the world to provide a unique space for peer-to-peer mentorship, cross-generational collaboration, and the exchange of ideas, experiences, and lessons learned.

We worked together to develop recommendations and collective action that center women leaders as architects of a safe and secure digital future, inclusive climate action, and a world order that delivers for all.

05/21/2026

🎓 Celebrating Our Gender, Peace and Security Certificate Graduates 🎓

The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) congratulates Georgetown University’s graduating class, especially the 12 alumni who earned our graduate certificate in Gender, Peace and Security (GPS) this academic year.

We are also pleased to announce the winners of our annual student writing awards, which bring together emerging voices from universities across the Washington, DC consortium to explore today’s most pressing global challenges through a gender lens.

👉 Use the link in our bio to meet this year’s GPS graduates and writing award winners, and learn how they are advancing the future of Women, Peace and Security through research, advocacy, and policy leadership.

Address

Washington D.C., DC

Telephone

+12025251980

Website

http://giwps.georgetown.edu/

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