In 2022, the Women, Peace and Security Center of Itach-Ma’aki initiated an innovative training program on international political negotiation from a gender perspective.The program brought together 52 Palestinian Arab and Jewish women from diverse backgrounds and provided them with practical tools and knowledge for participation in negotiation processes aimed at advancing peace and security. Participants learned from experts who had taken part in diplomatic negotiations while integrating gender perspectives, and were exposed to professional networks relevant to future engagement in this field. The program contributed to building a cohort of women with the capacity to participate in future negotiation processes.

The completion of the training marked the beginning of an ongoing engagement with the alumnae. Based on a commitment to sustained accompaniment and to supporting initiatives emerging from the group, the Center maintained a weekly open consultation hour during which graduates could seek advice, guidance, and support for advancing their initiatives. In June 2023, a graduation and certificate ceremony was held in Umm al-Fahm. As part of the event, a resource-mapping process was conducted and proposals for continued joint activity were collected. This framework enabled alumnae to develop independent initiatives while receiving professional and organizational support. One of the most significant initiatives that emerged from this process was Forum 1325.

In November 2023, a group of alumnae presented an initiative that had taken shape following the training. The group, composed of Jewish and Palestinian Arab women, sought to advance the values of the program through practical action and proposed the establishment of Forum 1325. From that stage, the Center accompanied the group in laying the foundations for the forum. This included working with the forum’s steering committee to refine its vision and modes of action, facilitating connections with relevant organizations and stakeholders, and sharing institutional knowledge and experience related to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. In parallel, budgetary support was provided to enable the design of the forum’s logo, the facilitation of steering committee meetings, and the work of the forum’s two coordinators.

This support contributed to the forum’s activity across several key areas, including fundraising to support sustainability, regular steering committee meetings for strategic planning, workshops and trainings to deepen members’ knowledge and tools, and the management of communication platforms to expand outreach and disseminate content. During its period of activity, the forum operated through a small steering committee that met weekly online, alongside in-person meetings of an expanded steering committee held in different locations across the country to enable accessibility for participants from various regions. With the support of a professional facilitator, the forum undertook a strategic planning process that resulted in the formulation of a clear vision and objectives.

The forum conducted a series of trainings for women and for the general public on political approaches to the conflict, with the participation of experts in the field. Topics included the two-state solution, confederative and federative models, the Abraham Accords, the refugee issue, and conflict resolution. Recordings of the trainings were uploaded to the forum’s YouTube channel and reached hundreds of viewers.

In parallel, the forum established collaborations with organizations active in the field, including Etgar, the Geneva Initiative, Women Wage Peace, and A Land for All, and joined the “Women’s Cabinet” initiative. Forum members participated in public events and conferences, including a peace camp event held in July 2024, published an article on women in decision-making positions on the Walla website, and appeared on the podcast Women Ending War to raise public awareness. The forum also convened think-tank meetings focused on drafting a political framework that integrates gender perspectives and addresses the needs of diverse populations.

The Center provided advisory support to the forum’s representative who participated in the steering committee of the Paris Peace Forum. This engagement contributed to efforts to ensure broader and more diverse representation of women at the conference held in June 2025.

As the forum became more established, the Center adjusted its accompaniment framework. Active involvement in the forum’s steering committee was replaced with a supervision model focused on discussing dilemmas, questions, and strategic considerations. This transition clarified that Forum 1325 operates as an independent initiative of the alumnae and not as a subsidiary project of Itach-Ma’aki, while maintaining an ongoing professional relationship.

The Women, Peace and Security Center continues to support its alumnae community as part of its broader commitment to the implementation of Resolution 1325 and to advancing women’s participation in peace and security processes.