News & Analysis
Our latest analysis, op-eds, event recaps, and peacebuilders spotlights.
Reassessing Bangladesh’s National Election 2026
The Constitutional Referendum and General Election held on 12 February 2026 was…
A Community Holding onto Hope: Georgetown Screens Documentary on the Fight for…
When the Taliban took over Afghanistan after U.S. troops withdrew in 2021,…
The Taliban’s New Criminal Regulation Legalizes Slavery, Violence, and Repression of Women
On January 7, 2026, the Taliban’s emir issued a two-point decree formally…
Reassessing Bangladesh’s National Election 2026
The Constitutional Referendum and General Election held on 12 February 2026 was mostly fair and peaceful, which marked a milestone in Bangladesh’s democratic transition. 65% of the nation turned out to vote, electing Tarique Rahman in the country’s first election since a student-led movement ousted Sheikh Hasina in 2024. The right to cast a vote…
A Community Holding onto Hope: Georgetown Screens Documentary on the Fight for Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
When the Taliban took over Afghanistan after U.S. troops withdrew in 2021, they quickly began restricting women’s rights—despite past promises—with systematic repression so violent and extreme that it is nothing less than gender apartheid. This was not a surprise to the Afghan women who had been negotiating with the Taliban in 2020. And it also…
Denmark Tops, Afghanistan Last! Where Do India and US Rank in Women, Peace and Security Index 2025/26?
The Taliban’s New Criminal Regulation Legalizes Slavery, Violence, and Repression of Women
On January 7, 2026, the Taliban’s emir issued a two-point decree formally endorsing a new Criminal Procedural Regulations for Courts (119 articles, 3 chapters, 10 sections) and announcing that it would take effect immediately upon signing. The regulation was not publicly announced, debated, or widely circulated by the authorities; instead, its existence came to light…
Iranians are Making History
Iran is one month into historic protests, the most widespread since the overthrow of the Shah. These multigenerational protests have been brutally suppressed by the Iranian regime. Iranian officials report a death toll of over 5,000 people, but witnesses inside Iran are reporting that the death toll is far greater, likely upwards of 35,000. In addition, thousands of detained protesters face the…
Women, Peace and Security Conflict Tracker: January Updates
Our Women, Peace and Security Conflict Tracker combines real-time data points and original analysis to offer gender-sensitive insight into conflict dynamics across 27 countries. To see the complete analysis across all 27 countries monitored, please visit the WPS Conflict Tracker website and explore by country. As of January 2026, two new countries—Venezuela and Pakistan—have been added to the WPS…
A Message from Our Executive Director: Threats to Democracy and Rule of Law in America
We at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) are dedicated to promoting women’s leadership in peace and security globally, advancing women’s rights, tackling threats to the rule of law, warning about authoritarian pushbacks, and safeguarding democracy around the world. Today, we cannot be silent about what is happening in our own country: the assault on peace and security…
Acclaimed Journalist Anne Applebaum and Women Human Rights Defenders Discuss Implications of US Actions in Venezuela
The people of Venezuela are uncertain about their political, social, and economic future following the United States’ military operation on January 3rd, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on charges of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. Meanwhile, much of the world is concerned that the consequences of President Trump’s…
GIWPS Analysis: The US is Pulling Back from Multilateralism
This week, the White House issued a presidential memorandum announcing that the United States will no longer participate in 66 critical international organizations, including most UN organizations related to advancing and protecting women and girls, from the lead agency, UN Women, to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in…
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