Our organization

ISOKO Partners for Peace and Gender Equality is a registered 501(c)(3) international nonprofit organization based in the United States, it has been actively  working across Africa  since 2016 to advance peace, gender equality, and inclusive development. Active member of Global Network of Women Peace Builders (GNWP) ISOKO Partners is actively working with GNWP to empower women- and youth-led organizations, civil society networks, and multi-sectoral partners to co-create locally driven, high-impact solutions for building resilient, gender-just, and peaceful communities.

Is also an active member of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers builds bridges between grassroots peacemakers and global players in order to strengthen the work done for sustainable peace. ISOKO Partners collaborates with the Peacemakers Network to strengthen peacemaking by collaboratively supporting the positive role of religious and traditional actors in peace and peacebuilding processes in different regions of Africa especially in conflict affected countries

ISOKO Partners is an active member of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security. The Global Coalition is co-led by UNFPA & PBSO, Search for Common Ground and UNOY Peacebuilders. It consists of a number of UN agencies, NGOs, academics, & youth-led organizations, and donors committed through the localization of the UNSCR2250 and related resolutions at country and regional levels to advance Youth Peace and Security Agenda, and recognize the role of the youth in building a just and prosperous planet. 

ISOKO Partners collaborate with regional organizations such as International Conference on the Great Lakes Region of Africa ICGLR ( ICGLR), East Africa Community( EAC), The Southern African Development Community(SADC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations agencies and the United States of America to build peaceful and prosperous communities, free from sexual and gender-based violence in Africa and globally.  

With over 20 strategic partners across East, West, Central, and Southern Africa, ISOKO is building a powerful, transnational movement that centers community ownership, feminist leadership, disability rights, and inclusive peace. Together, we are transforming systems, restoring dignity, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in some of the world’s most vulnerable contexts.

Through evidence-based programming and a strong intersectional lens, ISOKO empowers women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized populations to be transformative agents of change. Our work addresses the root causes of inequality and violence, strengthens accountability, and promotes inclusive governance, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Currently, ISOKO Partners is leading and supporting a diverse portfolio of initiatives focused on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) Agendas, as well as economic empowerment, peacebuilding, and humanitarian response. We convene and coordinate the ISOKO Working Group on Women and Youth for Peace and Security in Africa, offering technical support and strategic capacity-building to member and non-member organizations alike.

ISOKO is committed to:

1. Advancing the WPS and YPS Agendas through the localization, implementation, and monitoring of UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 2250, ensuring inclusive and accountable peace and development processes.
2. Engaging women and men as equal partners in peacebuilding and gender equality to foster sustainable peace, social cohesion, and gender justice.
3. Strengthening institutional accountability by advocating for gender-responsive, disability-inclusive, and conflict-sensitive policies and service delivery systems that uphold the rights and dignity of all.
4. Promoting the full participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in decision-making processes and enabling them to realize their social, political, and economic rights.
5. Delivering inclusive humanitarian and climate resilience programs that address the disproportionate impact of conflict, displacement, environmental degradation, and pandemics.
6. Mainstreaming disability inclusion by ensuring that persons with disabilities are fully represented, engaged, and empowered across all our programs and partnerships in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
7. Driving evidence-based advocacy and research to inform policy, shift narratives, and influence systems change at the local, national, regional, and global levels.

OUR PROGRAMS AND IMPACT 

With the financial and technical support of the Department of State, the Africa Regional Democracy Fund program, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders,  Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, Global Coalition of Youth for Peace and Security and local women and youth led organizations, governments and regional organizations, 

ISOKO Partners for Peace and Gender Equality,  delivers powerful, locally led programs that advance peace, gender justice, and inclusive development across Africa. With presence in over 20 countries and partnerships spanning grassroots movements to global institutions, we drive impact where it matters most on the frontlines of conflict, inequality, and systems change.

Our 2025–2028 strategy focuses on four flagship programs and seven cross-cutting priorities that together respond to urgent needs and create long-term, sustainable development.

1. ISOKO Working Group of Women and Youth for Peace and Security in Africa

We lead a regional platform advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agendas, grounded in UN Security Council Resolutions 1325, 2250, 2419, and 2535. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and multi-stakeholder coordination, ISOKO ensures that women and youth are not only included but empowered as decision-makers, peacebuilders, and policy influencers.

Impact:

• Supported the development and implementation of  National and Local Action Plans on WPS and YPS in Democratic Republic of Congo,Burundi, Rwanda, Nigeria etc. 
• Trained over 5000 women, youth, elders, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in leadership, mediation, and inclusive governance
• Convened regional policy dialogues and community forums across 9 African countries to shape peace and security strategies
• Supported 35+ grassroots  NGOs (non ISOKO partners) with technical capacity-building

2. ISOKO Academy for Democracy and Development

We nurture inclusive civic leadership by equipping youth, women, and persons with disabilities to lead democratic transformation from the grassroots to national policymaking. The Academy promotes values-based leadership, digital civic engagement, and intergenerational dialogue.

Impact:

• Reached 10,000+ young people through civic education campaigns, digital democracy forums, and innovation labs
• By the end of 2028 we target to produce 10+ policy briefs, research publications, and toolkits
• Trained 1,500+ emerging leaders in democratic governance, human rights, and social accountability
• Facilitated intergenerational mentorship platforms, connecting youth with elders and traditional leaders for cultural learning and civic growth

3. Refugees and Hosting Communities Empowerment

We implement trauma-informed, community-led programs that protect the rights and dignity of forcibly displaced populations and promote peaceful coexistence with host communities. Our work addresses social cohesion, economic recovery, and inclusive protection.

Impact:

• Delivered livelihood recovery and psychosocial support for refugee women, youth, and elders in 5 countries
• Organized cross-border peace dialogues with youth and elders as co-mediators and cultural brokers
• Developed inclusive referral systems for Gender Based Violence survivors, including those with disabilities or experiencing age-related vulnerabilities

4. ISOKO Humanitarian Action

We deliver timely, gender-responsive, and conflict-sensitive humanitarian interventions in fragile and crisis-affected settings. Centering the voices of women, youth, Persons with Disabilities, and elders, we strengthen locally owned solutions for resilience, protection, and recovery.

Impact:

• Reached over 8,000 individuals through emergency responses to health, climate, and conflict-related crises
• Integrated age- and disability-sensitive services into emergency preparedness and response systems
• Strengthened community-led humanitarian coordination with civil society and local authorities

Cross-Cutting Priorities:

Integrated into all our programs are these key strategic lenses:

• Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response
• Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, Elders, and Other Marginalized Groups
• Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice
• Evidence-Based Research, Monitoring & Learning, and Policy Advocacy
• Digital Equity and Technology for Social Good
• Intergenerational Dialogue and Knowledge Exchange