Following last week's International Women's Day, recognising women's vital contribution to peace and development, we are delighted to be able to share the Beyond Consultations Tool. The Beyond Consultations Tool was launched yesterday in New York at the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW). This new tool has been designed to support actors to move towards more meaningful engagement with women in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS). All women have a fundamental right to meaningfully participate in the decisions that frame and impact their lives. Despite this, globally, we are failing to meaningfully engage with women living in FCAS on the policies, processes, and programmes that affect them. There is also clear evidence that women’s inclusion in political processes leads to more effective peace and stability.

In 2018, Paperboat were commissioned by GAPS UK and Women for Women International working together with  Saferworld, Womenkind and Amnesty UK to conduct a global participatory research project  with women and women’s organisations in FCAS, in response to their concerns that many consultation exercises tend to be extractive, tokenistic and disempowering. Through this research the Beyond Consultations tool was developed to ensure that women's voices meaningfully contribute to and influence decision-making, to ensure that women's rights and needs are met, and that women’s potential is realised! The tool encourages the full participation of women  throughout all consultation processes so that their rights, needs and concerns are realised in agreements, policies, plans and programmes.The tool is designed to be used as part of a learning process to highlight good practice for the meaningful participation and engagement of women to chart areas for improvement and map progress over time. You can now download the Beyond Consultations tool here!

#BeyondConsultations #MeaningfulParticipation @NoWomenNoPeace & @womenforwomenUK @Saferworld @AmnestyUK & @woman_kind

This International Women's Day we have chosen to spotlight one of our Associates, Marie Francoise Umtoni. Marie has brought Paperboat great insight into women's organising and gender mainstreaming  in Rwanda. What makes Marie stand out is her ability to connect with women’s organisations and to draw out the stories of those women making a real difference, who are often invisible. Marie is a Rwanda based gender and qualitative research specialist. Marie has worked with women's organisations to increase their knowledge of strategic programming and in helping support them to better evidence the impact of their work. Marie has worked across the Great Lakes region with both grassroots activists, development agencies and donor organisations. #internationalwomensday

Womankind Worldwide’s new policy briefing - Breaking the Silence: Ending online violence and abuse against women’s rights activists  - which launched today on International Women’s Human Rights Defenders Day (29th November 2018). A policy briefing shedding light on the reality of online violence and abuse for women right’s activists – and the crucial need to address it in any pursuit for gender equality.

Online violence & abuse is a global issue & affects all women – including women’s rights activists. This #16Days, join the call to #BreakTheSilence & end violence against women & girls online. Read @woman_kind’s latest briefing & share to show your solidarity http://bit.ly/WKBreaktheSilence
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Paperboat were delighted to return to Liberia to deliver a two day training on implementing effective GBV prevention and response services for Kvinna till Kvinna partner organisations.  

Amnesty’s historic campaign Write for Rights is open until end of December. Amnesty run this campaign every year to show solidarity with 12 incredible women human rights defenders standing up against violence, for LGBTI rights, against corporate power and state repression. By taking part in Write for Rights you’ll join others demanding justice for Marielle Franco, a black lesbian councillor who worked tirelessly to support the most marginalised in Rio de Janeiro, she was killed on 14th March 2018 and no one has been charged for her murder. You will stand side by side with Pavitri Manjhi who is standing up to big companies seeking to remover her Adivasi community from their ancestral land. You can read about all the women involved and their cases here.

Paperboat were delighted to host a high level stakeholders event in Rwanda last week, presenting the findings of their baseline study and showcasing the work of Kvinna till Kvinna's chosen women's rights projects. Over the next two years Kvinna till Kvinna will be supporting AKWOS, Haguruka, Reseau des Femmes, Rwandan Women's Network, UNABU with their women's rights and empowerment work. 

Sadly as we sit here today celebrating International Women's day,  around the world more countries than for a generation are experiencing violent conflict. Whilst women suffer greatly from the impact of war, they are often excluded from official peace processes, which make the examples of women peacebuilders all the more remarkable.  As we reflect on this year's International Women's day theme of #PressforProgress in celebration of women's  achievements, we encourage you to read International Alert's 7 women peace builders you should know. This incredible group of women are working to support peace against the odds.