Conference Report: Women Lead the Way: Strengthening a Localized and Gender Responsive Approach to Refugee Response and Peacebuilding

On October 12–13, 2023, UN Women Moldova hosted an international conference titled “Women lead the way: strengthening a localized and gender responsive approach to refugee response and peacebuilding,” in Chisinau. The conference was organized to provide a platform for both international and national representatives of civil society organizations and coalitions, international organizations, government officials, academics, and other stakeholders to deliberate and contemplate the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda in the Republic of Moldova (Moldova) and its pertinence within the Humanitarian- Development-Peace (HDP) nexus, particularly in the context of the refugee response and Transnistrian region conflict settlement efforts.

The primary aim of the conference was to provide a distinctive platform for participants to delve into these subjects, facilitating the exchange of experiences, challenges, and insights. By convening women advocates, leaders, and peacebuilders dedicated to advancing women’s meaningful engagement in humanitarian efforts, promoting social cohesion at the community level, and contributing to peacebuilding across diverse global contexts, the conference also aimed to stimulate conversations on inventive approaches to furthering the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda in Moldova.

This report provides an overview of the conference as well as the key recommendations formulated based on the discussions.