The Profiles in Peace Oral History Project shares the critical and personal insights from women and their allies on the frontlines of peace and security work globally - from the grassroots to the national and international arena. Oral History, the practice of recording in-depth, first-person life stories through audio and/or video, allows diverse and distinct audiences to more deeply understand the holistic, lived experiences of individuals that have significantly impacted their communities, countries and society-at-large. While the written record of history often privileges those who hold power most conventionally, oral history allows for a deepening and a complicating of history through intimate, first-person conversations with important changemakers, especially women and other minorities. Each storyteller (“narrator”) has the opportunity to tell their story fully, in their own words.

The interviews in this collection illuminate topics paramount to the Women, Peace and Security agenda including: violent extremism, violence against women, women’s political participation, peacebuilding and security sector engagement, economic empowerment, conflict and fragility; and women’s experiences with climate change and other environmental disasters. The narrators who discuss their participation in these areas represent a dynamic range of experiences, from the grassroots to the highest political offices, from communities and places across the world (Ireland to the Congo), from many ages, educational, economic and religious backgrounds, gender identities and more.

As Nobel Prize Winner Leymah Gbowee said, “Women don’t need capacity, they need visibility.” Through Profiles in Peace, the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security is building upon its unparalleled experience and network to create the world’s most robust archive of women peacebuilding stories. The Institute is helping to write women’s contributions back into history so that current and future generations can learn from their stories, and further contribute to peace and security in their societies.

For more information about this collection, please contact the Institute at giwps@georgetown.edu.

Please let us know how this content affects you by sharing your story with us.