Briefing Note - Women Leading the Way: Feminist Leadership in Crises

On 25th March 2026, ActionAid, Gender Action for Peace & Security (GAPS) and the Ukrainian Women’s Fund (UWF), convened a roundtable bringing together representatives from across UK government, civil society, academia, and international partners to reflect on the future of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and humanitarian action, in the context of rising global crises, shrinking civic space, and reductions in Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The discussion centred on the intersection of conflict, climate change, and gender inequality, and highlighted the critical role of women’s rights organisations (WROs) in humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and recovery.

A short briefing note has been prepared to capture the key themes and reflections from the discussion, alongside highlights from ActionAid’s new research.