Home - Julie Leftwich - Gender, Peace and Security

Lasting Peace

Local, national, regional and global peace is attainable and is inextricably linked with the advancement of women, who are a fundamental force for leadership, conflict resolution and the promotion of lasting peace at all levels.

– Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995

Courage

International Human Rights Law is enforced not just by nation-states, not just government officials, not just by world historical figures, but by people like us, people with the courage and commitment to bring international human rights law home.

-Harold Koh

Rewrite the Rules

Around the world, women have been reshaping societies and rewriting the rules, resulting in changes in laws and policies, increased participation in public life, and changes in the perception of gender roles.

Human Rights

The question of human rights is so fundamentally important that there should be no difference of views about it. We all have common human needs and concerns.

-The Dalai Lama

We cannot have peace and security
without equality.

Nations cannot be secure if their people are not secure. Where there is inequality and discrimination, violence, poverty, lack of education, lack of economic opportunity, political oppression, environmental disasters, and other destabilizing factors, there is risk of conflict. Human security must be our goal.

I am fortunate to work with women around the world in advancing equality, women’s rights and women’s roles in security and peacebuilding, seeing how together we can make change. I have also worked with refugees who made courageous journeys to build a better life for their families. And I have been truly inspired.

I have also found strength in my own journey and believe that despite life’s challenges we all have the power to find peace and transformation within ourselves.

My aim is to support the efforts of women and human rights activists at the grassroots level and amplify the voices of displaced persons, while also working to advance local, national and international human rights laws and institutions that uphold the dignity and worth of each individual and promote peace and human security.

Learn More about Julie's Work

Julie Leftwich is a passionate international human rights and women, peace and security expert with extensive experience in rule of law, access to justice, combating sexual and gender-based violence, refugee and asylum law, women’s political and security sector participation, and governance. She serves as an international advocate, advisor, trainer, speaker, researcher, and writer for the civil society, political, security, and justice sectors. Learn More about Julie

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News & Media

Op-Ed

The abuse of children, no matter where they come from, is unacceptable

In February, The New York Times reported on an explosion in migrant child labor in the U.S. Someone said to me, "I thought that was an issue resolved in the 1930s." It wasn’t. And the report was not a surprise to those of us who see patterns of abuse of migrants,...

We must remember requesting asylum is a legal right

Last week the Biden administration proposed a new rule that would make most people arriving at the southern border ineligible for asylum. It would allow for speedy removal of anyone who hasn’t first applied for protection in another country they passed through, or...

ICE officer’s indictment highlights challenges migrant women face

The women came to this country for a better life. They put their trust and faith in the U.S. political system. They likely were fleeing gender-based violence or other forms of violence and exploitation and faced a journey during which they were also at risk of...