Strengthening Civil Society in the Localisation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Great Lakes Region (WPS)

The Great Lakes Region has experienced decades of conflict, political instability, and violence rooted in power struggles, ethnic tensions, and competition over resources. Women and marginalized groups have been disproportionately affected, facing high levels of gender-based violence, economic exclusion, and limited participation in peace processes. While National and a Regional Action Plan on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda have been adopted by most States around the Great Lake Region, implementation at the local level remains weak. Grassroot organisations often lack the resources, training, and political access needed to influence peacebuilding and policymaking.

This project aims to close that gap by supporting 20 grassroots organisations in five countries, establishing a low-threshold funding mechanism, and promoting collaboration with regional actors. Through targeted capacity-building, advocacy, and knowledge-sharing, the project strengthens local contributions to sustainable peace and gender equality across the region.

GOPA designs and delivers capacity-building programmes for these 20 grassroots organisations across Burundi, DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, and partly CAR. GOPA also helps to manage a low-threshold funding mechanism to support local WPS initiatives and facilitates policy engagement and regional advocacy through workshops, consultations, and strategic meetings with the States of the Great Lake Region’s Initiative (ICGLR). Regional networks of civil society organizations are supported in knowledge generation and with a solid Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework, consolidating data, standardising reporting, and allowing for better risk mitigation.