Women and youth peace ambassadors share their experience at a regional conference

Members of the Network of Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors presented their experience and activities at the international conference “A Living Agenda: 25 Years of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and Armenia’s Call for Human Security”, held in Yerevan, Armenia.

The event took place on 1 and 2 December 2025, hosted by the local NGO Democracy Today in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. The conference was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). At the same time, the third National Action Plan of Armenia on the Women, Peace and Security agenda was presented at the event.

The conference brought together representatives of State institutions, diplomats, civil society leaders and international experts. They reflected on the progress achieved with regard to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, as well as the challenges and opportunities to advance inclusive peace. The event focused on the importance of the resolution and the need to strengthen women’s leadership in peace processes.

Members of the Network of Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors spoke about critical issues of human security, which are relevant for both Georgia and the entire South Caucasus region. One of the network members, Maia Chemia, who lives in the city of Zugdidi and is an internally displaced person (IDP) herself, addressed the needs of IDP women and spoke about the severe impact of conflict on their security and well-being.

“It is important that the South Caucasus region take into account the Georgian experience in terms of the IDPs’ settlements, in particular the lifestyle, characteristics and needs of these people,” Maia noted. “For example, relocating IDPs from urban to rural areas—or the other way round—may create additional problems and difficulties for them. It is also particularly important to introduce healthcare programmes that are specifically tailored to the needs of IDPs.”

The conference also supported the ongoing discussion on cybersecurity and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Georgian participants emphasized the growing threats and harm that this form of violence brings to women. They also reiterated the need to adopt gender-sensitive digital security measures.

Another panel addressed the gendered impacts of climate change. The participants emphasized the critical role that women play in disaster risk reduction and reflected on the initiatives that UN Women is implementing in Georgia in this regard.

The first large-scale network of its kind in Georgia, the Network of Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors was established in 2023 and brings together more than 200 IDP and conflict-affected women and youth from 17 municipalities. The network’s members participate in the development and implementation of local policies and advocate for community needs. The initiative is implemented in cooperation with three NGOs: the Women’s Information Center, the IDP Women’s Association “Consent” and the Charity Humanitarian Women’s Fund “Sukhumi”. The network was established within the framework of the UN Women project “Accelerating Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Georgia” and is currently part of the project “Women Act for Peace and Security”. Both projects are generously supported by the UK Government.