Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice

Civil rights labor leader Dolores Huerta visited the University of San Diego as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series hosted by the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. Huerta’s lecture drew a full audience of students, faculty, and community members, packed into the Kroc School’s Peace & Justice Theatre to deliver her remarks and answer questions from the audience. She spoke about the enduring importance of grassroots organizing, the role of young people in shaping social change, and the continued fight for equity across all communities. Her message emphasized empowerment, civic participation, and the responsibility each person holds in building a more just society.

Diaspora communities have long played critical roles in peacebuilding efforts in their countries of origin, yet the contributions of women within these communities remain significantly underexplored and underappreciated. This report seeks to address this gap by focusing on the unique roles, challenges and contributions of women in diaspora-led peacebuilding initiatives. Women in the diaspora — often navigating complex identities and facing distinct challenges — are vital actors in promoting peace, reconciliation and social change in their homelands. Drawing on a comprehensive review of literature, research interviews, and detailed case studies, this Women PeaceMakers report provides a nuanced understanding of how diaspora women contribute to peacebuilding efforts, particularly in conflict-affected regions.

The annual Women Waging Peace report provides a resource for policymakers and funders, created directly from the recommendations and priorities of women peacebuilders around the world. Each year, the survey provides an analysis of the work of women peacebuilders, the progress they have made, and the challenges and opportunities they are facing. This year’s report focuses on election violence, because more than 65 countries and territories held elections in 2024, and women peacebuilders played a key role in managing and preventing violence during these elections. This report explores how women peacebuilders around the world worked to address election violence in their countries.