This month, GAPS met with its members to discuss Women, Peace and Security priorities for the first time in-person before the pandemic. GAPS also have been continuing  to attend meetings with the UK Government on various work such as the National Action Plan, PSVI, Afghanistan and Ukraine…

Friday’s devastating earthquakes in Myanmar not only caused mass casualties and widespread destruction, they also deepened long-standing gender inequalities – leaving millions of women and girls at heightened risk. With at least 1,600 people have been killed, read Saferworld's response here. UN Women have provided a rapid gender analysis reporting that 'the earthquakes add another layer of hardship as (women and girls) face unsafe conditions, disrupted health services, and heightened risks of gender-based violence and exploitation—especially for girls separated from their families.' 

The UK has announced cuts to the aid budget while increasing defence spending. CARE’s recent report revealed that UK aid for gender equality fell from £6.3bn in 2019 to £3.4bn in 2022—the lowest on record since reporting began in 2014. With the latest round of cuts announced today, this decline will only deepen, compounding the effects of previous reductions and contributing to a global trend where major donors are pulling back from gender equality commitments.

There has been a critical escalation of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the past few weeks, with Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 seizing control of Goma. The heightened risk of sexual violence has been reported by organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, who have said more than 1 in 10 young women in camps reported being raped between November 2023 and April 2024.

More than 30,000 Syrians have returned home since the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024. The UK has now paused its decision over Syrian asylum-claims. As of December 2024, 6,502 Syrians are waiting the outcome of their asylum claim in the UK. Nadia Hardman, a researcher in the Refugee and Migrants Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, outlined…

The Security Council held its annual debate on women, peace and security in New York this month, titled:  “Women Building Peace in a Changing Environment”. UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke to the contexts of Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen, emphasising that we must 'reinforce our resolve to support women advocating for their rights, agency and inclusion at every opportunity'.

Israel strikes on Southern Lebanon The Lebanese health minister reported 569 people have been killed and 1,835 wounded since last Monday in Israeli strikes across Southern Lebanon. Hezbollah confirmed the death of its senior…

19 August marked International Humanitarian Day:

Civil society demonstrated their support for the day, including aid workers in Gaza who paused for a moment of silence, in solidarity with fellow humanitarians and to honour the 289 colleagues killed since October 2023. GAPS joined the calls to #ActforHumanity to ensure the protection of civilians, including humanitarians, in conflict zones & ensure accountability for violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. Read the full thread here. 

The UK Government has been elected and new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed his new cabinet with David Lammy as Foreign Secretary and Anneliese Dodds as a Minister in the FCDO as well as a Minister for Women and Equalities in the Department of Education.

With the release of the party manifestos over the past weeks and upcoming UK General Election, this month has been filled with anticipation and opportunity. As a penholder for UNSCR 1325, the incoming Government holds the responsibility to re-commit, reform and propel the WPS agenda forward, to enact the meaningful change that has, so far, been underwhelming. 

As May marks eight months of heightened bombardment and dehumanisation against the Palestinian people, we are sharing yet another newsletter with our call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and end to the brutal occupation in Palestine. Alongside many colleagues in civil society and activist spaces, GAPS has been urging the UK Government to take account of their actions which feed and legitimise the violence facing Gaza.

This month, the UK Government passed the callous Rwanda Safety (Asylum and Immigration) Bill- a clear abuse of the rule of law. This Bill directly undermines the UK’s commitments to Women, Peace and Security…

March 2024 marks one year of implementation for the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security. To recognise this, GAPS has developed an assessment of UK Government progress on WPS in 2023. This report, informed by four case studies co-created by women’s rights organisations (WROs), women human rights activists and GAPS member organisations, considers the progress and learnings for the UK Government to take forward into the proceeding years of NAP implementation.

In February, with the continuation of the genocide, GAPS continued through its feminist mandate to call for an immediate and full ceasefire in Gaza and end to the occupation in Palestine. The UK Government continually fails to uphold its commitments the protection of women and children, as outlined in the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, through its inconsistent and incoherent response to Gaza.

Welcome to GAPS January wrap up. It has been over one week since the ICJ delivered its provisional measures orders in response to South Africa’s genocide case against Israel. Despite no measures ordered of halting military operations in Gaza, it…

This newsletter edition reflects on the past year and GAPS's priorities moving ahead. With the violence in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian Territories escalating into 2024, states and the wider international community must act on their commitments to uphold international…

GAPS calls for an immediate and full ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Occupied Palestinian Territories, which have been subjected to Israel's violent occupation since the forced expulsion of Palestinians in 1948. GAPS stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people…

Welcome to the GAPS September wrap-up.   On the 16th of September it was one year since the murder of Mahsa Jina Amini, which sparked widespread protests and continued resistance across Iran. The strict system of gender-based segregation, which a group…

Welcome to the GAPS August wrap-up.   August marks two years since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan. The human rights violations faced by women and girls, as well as other targeted communities based on ethnicity, religion, disability and sexual orientation,…

Welcome to GAPS July wrap-up.  Earlier this year, in March 2023, the ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ was introduced to Parliament, with the aim of preventing people from crossing the Channel in small boats. The Bill ensures that asylum claims will be…