Bénédicte Aboul-Nasr, Senior Programmes Officer, Great Lakes- Peace Direct The first two months of 2025 have been bleak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Following the resurgence of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23)/Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) in 2021,…

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.

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…

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…

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…

This month, the GAPS team was in the Hague for LEAP4Peace, of which we are a proud member. Alongside organisations from Burundi, Colombia, Myanmar, and the Netherlands, we work nationally and globally to support the…

Welcome to GAPS May wrap-up.  GAPS attended the 2023 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development organised by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This year's theme focused on ‘Seeking Solutions for Turbulent Times’ and explored lessons and experiences from past…

GAPS March Newsletter Welcome to GAPS March wrap up.  It was a very busy month for GAPS!  The sixty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) took place in New York this month, which saw women-led civil…

GAPS February Newsletter Welcome to the GAPS February wrap up.  On the 23rd of February, GAPS attended the launch of the fifth UK National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security (NAP) at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Our…

January has been an opportunity for GAPS to prepare and plan for the year ahead, with key national and global moments upcoming, including…

Welcome to our December and 2022 wrap-up. It has been an eventful and busy year for the GAPS Team, and as we draw an end to 2022, GAPS is looking forward to celebrating the holidays with friends and family, and…

Welcome to our November wrap-up. November has been a busy month as COP27 in Egypt came to a close, and GAPS took part in the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) Global Conference happening in London. Ahead of COP27, GAPS released a…

Welcome to our October wrap-up. This month, the GAPS Director headed to Berlin for the W7 conference, and to New York for Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Week at the United Nations. Ahead of the Open Debate, GAPS signed onto…

Welcome to our September wrap-up. This month, GAPS launched our  2021 Shadow Report at an event that brought together GAPS members, civil society, parliamentarians and other stakeholders to discuss the UK Government's implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda…

This month, GAPS joined human rights and women's rights organisations across the UK and Afghanistan as they marked one year since the handover of Afghanistan to the Taliban, where many were forced to flee. Women…

Welcome to our July wrap up. This month, the UK Government released its 2021 Annual Report to Parliament on the UK National Action Plan. The Report documents the UK Government's progress in meeting its commitments to the Women, Peace and…