Women Regional Network East Africa (WRN-EA), was founded on 6th April 2017, as part of a Global Women Movement, striving to build meaningful peace, by advancing gender justice among the marginalized women and girls in the East African region. The initiators of the network are 15 renowned women feminist leaders from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, who have a constituency of individual human rights defenders, women non-governmental organizations and Community Based Organizations. Through the constituency, the network is dedicated to advancing women’s rights to gender justice, peace and human security.

HER-STORY

2017

2011

Launch of Network in Nepal with 4 representatives from each country, plus international delegates. Network members add "militarization of aid and development" to their mission. Agree to document the experiences of women in remote and conflicted regions of each country.

2018

WR-NEA has held three international movement building conversations with sister network - the WRN–South Asia in Sri-lanka, Turkey and Dubai. At regional level the network, with support from WRN - Global and Women Have Wings, WRNEA has held three conversations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. During the three conversations, the membership developed its niche, which includes; holding conversations through women community groups; developed five year strategy that led to the establishment of the national chapters in Kenya and Uganda, with various activities cascading remote and isolated areas in Uganda and Kenya. We held conversations of self-care and healing in the two countries; created spaces where women explore their innermost being, finding inner voice and use their power for healing. Skilling women individuals and groups in mediation and reconciliation, where over 300 women and youth have undergone training over the years.

Emotional and social healing for individuals and groups
Promoting personal and collective agency
Wholeness of mind, body and spirit
Invoking spirit of sisterhood, ubuntu and the community
Invoking indigenous knowledge and ingenuity
Community resource mobilization and sustainability
Embracing diversity of belief systems, spiritualties and cultures
Evolve authentic language and narratives that reflect, question and place women in positions of power and influence

OUR SCOPE

OUR UNIQUENESS

We approach peace and security of women and girls from a feminist perspective, focusing on the most vulnerable women and girls, who experience violence, which is often ignored and unaddressed, as the mainstream peace and security mostly prioritize the armed and violent conflict. This has made us focus on the women’s own definition of peace and security, in order to address women’s personal woundedness and lack of peace; and facilitate their empowerment in undertaking policy and advocacy, through their own voice on peace and security concerns. We believe, this will influence the transformation of violence against women and girls narrative, into a Women and peace narrative.

ABOUT US

Our VISION:

Working towards a region where women’s wholeness is the norm.

Our MISSION:

Galvanizing women’s personal and collective agency and spirituality to heal the region, through feminist leadership.

Our GOAL:

Women unleashing their personal and collective agency to heal themselves and their communities.

1. Authenticity: We believe that women’s experiences provide a fresh and authentic approach to peace.

7. Telling: We believe women should fully express, share and propagate their ideas, perspectives, experiences and provide solutions.

OUR CORE VALUES

5. Inquiry: We believe that raising women’s political consciousness helps them to question and challenge patriarchal power dynamics that hinder their experience of peace and dignity.

2. Spirituality: We believe that women have the power to design their own personal spirituality and that this informs their daily peace building journey.

3. Feminism: We believe that a feminist conceptual framework and approaches are the foundation in achieving wholeness for women.

4. Affirmation: We affirm that women’s knowledge of peace and security generates hope, joy and a spirit of wholeness, and strengthens their sense of dignity, integrity, community and possibility.