AMPLIFY Helps Women Lead ASEAN’s Security Shift

AMPLIFY, a five-year Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) initiative launched in April by The Asia Foundation with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to address the disproportionate impact of historical and ongoing armed conflicts on women in ASEAN, as well as emerging human security threats. We know that when women lead, participate and influence decision-making in insecure contexts, both women and the community benefit. AMPLIFY seeks to increase women’s engagement in peace and security actions at the regional, national and community level.
In September, a team Kickstart event was held in Bangkok to align the program’s vision, strategies, and proposed activities, bringing together regional staff and country teams. In this way, we aim to ensure that the country elements of the AMPLIFY program are truly interconnected by an overarching strategy that informs and draws from regional best practices. First Secretary Matthew Allen of the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok provided the keynote address.

The workshop brought together country, regional, and global colleagues to consolidate program objectives, establish a clear team vision, and strengthen team communication and ways of working. Key activities included discussions on Women Peace and Security (WPS) in local contexts, review of program concepts, activity design, communications strategy, and the monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning framework for the next two to five years. Participants shared and explored new WPS research, country sensitivities, workplan priorities and program management strategies to ensure a cohesive approach for the upcoming phases of the AMPLIFY program.
In responding to WPS needs and challenges in the region, AMPLIFY must remain ambitious in scope yet adaptive to the needs of country governments and partners. This flexible approach to program management, including locally driven WPS designs and collaboration across government, civil society, and community levels, is essential for impact. Strong monitoring and evaluation tied to activity design and communications approach will ensure long-term impact. This workshop laid the foundation for ongoing collaboration to support women in conflict-affected areas.
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