The Women’s Leadership Network: Bridging the Gap Between Civil Society and Political Power

Last month in Nicosia, Cyprus, ALLMEP launched its inaugural Women’s Leadership Network with a five-day program of workshops, trust-building activities, and advocacy training. The initiative brought together twenty-five women from twenty-two member organizations across Israel and Palestine. Designed to foster leadership, resilience, and connection, the gathering marked a significant milestone in ALLMEP’s mission to elevate women’s voices in peacebuilding.

Facilitated by Eva Dalak—a seasoned expert in conflict transformation with over twenty-five years of experience—the program tackled the complex barriers women face in accessing decision-making spaces. Sessions explored leadership development, trauma-informed approaches to peacebuilding, and the structural and cultural challenges that keep women’s perspectives marginalized in both local and international spheres.

ALLMEP’s European Advocacy Manager Luisa Siemens and Policy Coordinator Rachael Liss also joined the workshop, contributing insights on bridging the divide between grassroots leadership and high-level political engagement. This intersection is critical: while our network includes experienced and impactful women leaders, they remain underrepresented politically on both sides of the conflict and are too often overlooked by the international community.

The idea for the Women’s Leadership Network has been in development for several years. But amid the current crisis, its urgency became undeniable. We recognized the need to not only create space for women’s leadership, but to integrate it more fully into our regional programming—ensuring that women are at the forefront of the movement for peace, justice, and equality.

The five days in Cyprus began with an exploration of trauma-informed approaches to conflict transformation and leadership. Participants examined how trauma—individual, collective, and generational—shapes communities and affects participation in peace processes. Through tools like emotion-mapping, resilience-building exercises, and trauma-sensitive engagement strategies, the group reflected on how to lead with compassion, awareness, and strength. That afternoon, a guided tour through Nicosia—the last divided capital in Europe—offered a poignant space to reflect on borders, division, and the complex legacy of conflict in split societies.

On the second day, the focus shifted to the role of women in peacebuilding and negotiation processes. Discussions touched on the personal adversity that women often endure within the peacebuilding field: navigating fear and safety, building trust across lines of difference, and the need for spaces where emotional experience is acknowledged as part of leadership. Later, the group split into smaller circles to engage more deeply on themes of identity, grief, and expression—sharing experiences that resonated across personal and political lines.

The third day invited participants to consider the creation of shared identities and what it means to bridge divides between communities. Central to the dialogue was the understanding that trauma is not only passed down through individuals, but also through systems—and that healing must address these structures, not just symptoms. One participant reflected, “Healing personal wounds is only part of the journey. Healing structural violence and generational trauma is the future we are committed to creating—together, across differences.”

The final day centered on practical skills for advocacy in Europe, including how to prepare for and conduct high-level meetings with policymakers and institutions. The group then convened to articulate a collective vision for the Women’s Leadership Network—one rooted in commitment, strategy, and the belief that women leaders must be included in shaping the political future of the region. Many of these women are already leading within their communities and organizations, yet they continue to face exclusion from formal decision-making. As one participant said, “To be women leaders, and to change the status quo, we must be courageous. We must be brave.”

The group concluded with a roadmap for the WLN’s next steps. Among the priorities: continuing monthly meetings, launching mentorship and peer-learning programs focused on diplomatic and advocacy skills, and fostering deeper interconnection among women across the peacebuilding field. These initiatives aim to ensure that women not only have a seat at the table—but that they are equipped and empowered to lead it.

The Women’s Leadership Network brings together two transformative forces: women and local civil society. It offers the tools, space, and solidarity needed to shape a different future—one that is more inclusive, more resilient, and ultimately, more just.

Because this work is not just about representation.
This is how we break the glass ceiling.
This is how we build a just and lasting peace.